


Oops, I Think I Love You

by LazyDaizy



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: AU, Accidental Dating, Angst, Anxiety, Coffee Shops, Cuddles, Eventual Smut, F/M, Falling In Love, Friends to Lovers, Roommates, Sharing a Bath, Sharing a Bed, Smut, Strangers, Strangers to Friends, Strangers to Friends to Lovers, back rub during PMS anyone?, do friends do this?, friends to oblivious dumbasses with crushes, hold me while i cry, lots of tropes, oh no! i'm making out with my best friend whatever shall i do, oops sorry blame the morning ;), oops you're naked, slight self harm, snuggles, the bar, you're my roommate and i'll objectify you if i want to
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-23
Updated: 2018-07-16
Packaged: 2019-05-10 09:44:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 101,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14734602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LazyDaizy/pseuds/LazyDaizy
Summary: When his best friend kicks him out for apparently being a hindrance to his sex life, Jughead Jones sees a paper in the lobby of their apartment building, someone on the top floor looking for a roommate. It seems too good to be true but he grabs the number anyway. He wasn’t expecting the occupant to be a beautiful blonde, his age, who really just wanted someone around.Betty Cooper wants a roommate. She doesn’t need a roommate for financial reasons, she just hates being alone. Nobody seems like a good fit until the brooding writer/bartender applies for the room. On his promise that he was quiet and clean and not a serial killer (that’s important), she rents him the room.(The fact that he was extremely good looking had nothing to do with it.)(Really.)The friendship is forged immediately and soon they find themselves in an awkward position where it appears to everyone like they’re a couple and they can’t seem to explain why they aren’t.What happens when they suddenly realize they are basically dating, they just never meant to?





	1. Must Not Be A Crazy Person

“Jug, you need to find a new place.”

Jughead Jones put down his beer and stared at his red haired friend, a confused expression on his face.

“What?”

“You need to find a new place to live. I’m kicking you out.”

“What the fuck, Archie? I’ve only been here for 2 months!” he sputtered. “Why are you kicking me out?”

“Because you’re fucking up my sex life,” Archie informed him flatly.

“How exactly?”

“Dude, every time I bring a girl home, it doesn’t matter what time of the night, we come in and you’re sitting like a creepy moron on the couch in the dark, typing away on your computer and always scaring the shit out of my dates. Most of the time, any momentum to getting laid falls flat cause you creep them out and they either want to go to sleep or go home.”

“So, I’ll go to my room then,” Jughead said with a shrug.

“That doesn’t work either. I’m always having to tell them to be more quiet because you might hear and it pisses them off.”

“Well, maybe stop being a man whore and bringing home a different girl every night,” Jughead suggested with a laugh. “What the fuck are you doing anyway, trying to lay everyone in New York?"

“Look man, I thought this would work out, but it’s just not. You need to find your own place. Take a couple weeks, I’m sure you’ll find something,” Archie said with a shrug as he headed to the bathroom.

“Wow, asshole,” Jughead muttered as he flopped down on the couch. Truth be told, he wasn’t that terribly upset because living with Archie was a pain in the ass, but really, the guy was choosing screwing random chicks over his best friend and that shit just wasn’t right. He finished his beer and stood up, walking over to the window. He looked at the street and let out a sigh. Well, as much as he liked the neighbourhood, he didn’t actually like the second floor apartment. He preferred being higher up and this shitty apartment was too close to the street for him. It made for noisy nights. 

New York City. He loved it. Had grown up running the streets with his father’s gang but his love of writing had made him leave the group when he was 19 and now at 25, he had made a nice life for himself that didn’t require that he constantly look over his shoulder. 

To keep from becoming a recluse, which he had to admit would probably happen if he wasn’t careful, he had a shift almost every day, mostly afternoon or evening at a local bar and the rest of his time he spent writing freelance for several magazines and papers and working on his novel. He was a night owl and did most of his writing while most people slept, preferring to sleep during the day.

He knew he wouldn’t have a problem finding a room to rent. People in this city were always needing roommates to help pay for rent. He supposed he could find a place of his own, he could afford to, but he didn’t find it a wise investment to spend that kind of money on rent and he didn’t have enough means to buy anything, so always trying to be smart and economical, he rented rooms from people looking for roommates.

Archie had broken up with his long time girlfriend a few months ago and she had moved out and he had offered their spare room to Jughead, who at the time had a place, but since it was Archie offering he left his digs and moved in with him, thinking it’d be like old times when they had shared a shoebox apartment at 18. Now the red head was apparently trying to bang everything he’d been missing the last 5 years and Jughead was being kicked to the curb.

He glanced at the time and realized he had to be at the bar in half hour and went to quickly change and grabbed his bag and left the apartment. Since he was only on the second floor, he always took the stairs as it was quicker than waiting for the elevator. He paused at the mailboxes and opened the one for their address, checking to see if anything was for him. It was all Archie’s and he shoved it back in with the thought that the ass could get his own mail. As he was about to head outside, he glanced at the bulletin board and noticed a paper near the top corner.

**ROOM FOR RENT!**  
_Top floor apartment, great views and balcony room._  
_Must have steady job, an aversion to messiness, and be under 30._  
_MAJOR requirement: Must not be a crazy person or serial killer._

Jughead bit back a laugh as he read the paper. He met all the requirements and he wouldn’t have to move far. The problem was, it was top floor. The building had 40 floors and the top 5 were owned apartments, not rented and he also knew they were much larger, if having a balcony room was any indication. That meant the rent would be a lot more expensive. He wondered who was renting out a room. Someone older, no doubt, as owning an apartment in this building couldn’t be cheap, but it did make him wonder why the roommate would have to be under 30. He decided it probably wasn’t what he was looking for, but for whatever reason, he ripped off the phone number tab anyway and headed out the door to work.

 

Betty closed up the antique/book store that she worked at and headed out. She sighed as she walked down the street toward home. She lived 4 blocks from the store and it was the reason she had chosen the apartment, as she disliked the subway, not feeling at all comfortable being under the city for any amount of time. She also didn’t like going home to an empty apartment. Being alone wasn’t something she enjoyed and her roommate search was going nowhere. So far, everyone she had seen who wanted the room didn’t meet her criteria. Well, if she was being honest, none had seemed a good fit, whether they met the requirement or not. She really didn’t know what exactly she was looking for, but she figured she’d know when she met the person.

She hadn’t been specific to male or female. She figured as long as they weren’t crazy, either would work. The walk home didn’t take long at all and she paused in the lobby of the building and saw that a couple more tabs with her number had been taken and she wondered who she’d be checking out this time. Just as she was letting herself into her apartment, her phone rang and she fished it out and answered.

“Hello?”

“Hey, I’m calling about the room for rent?” The voice on the other end was soft and husky and male. “Is it still available?”

“Yes, it is,” Betty replied, dropping her bag and keys on the table by the door. There seemed to be a lot of noise in the background of the call and from the sounds of the music blaring she guessed this person was calling from a bar. “Would you be able to come by tomorrow to answer a few questions?” she asked.

“Uh, yeah sure,” the man said slowly. “What time?” 

“What time works for you?” Betty asked, flopping down on the couch and grabbing the remote.

“I could be there around 5:00? Late afternoon?”

“Okay, that sounds good. Please provide proof of employment and your last two landlords phone numbers,” she requested as she turned on the TV. “Apartment 4010.”

“Will do,” the man replied and then the line went dead. Betty put the phone down and stretched out on the couch. He had a pleasant enough voice and she hoped he wasn’t some kind of weirdo. She relaxed back for a little nap before attempting to cook some food.

 

 

When the occupant of apartment 4010 opened the door the following afternoon, Jughead was unprepared. Smiling, blonde, and beautiful. And young. She looked like she was his age, maybe even younger and he decided she couldn’t possibly be the owner. She stepped back and let him come in and when he stepped into the place he was a little taken aback. It was huge and there was no way he could afford this. The apartment was loft style and looked almost industrial with pillars and brick and wood. It was open floor plan with a large kitchen that sported an island and a table beyond that. There was two sitting areas, on opposite sides of the large living area; one with a couch and chairs facing a large brick fireplace and on the other side a sectional couch facing a large screen TV. The entire back wall was industrial windows and a balcony beyond that.

When Jughead had stepped out of the elevator he realized that these apartments were definitely not like the ones on the second floor. Where those were 10 apartments per floor, up here there were only 5. So basically, twice the size. He glanced at the woman smiling at him and he realized there wasn’t anyone else there and she was definitely the one offering the room.

“I’m Jughead Jones,” he offered, holding out his hand for her. She shook it and if she thought he had a strange name, she made no mention of it. 

“Elizabeth Cooper, but you can call me Betty,” she returned. 

“Hi Betty,” he said softly. 

“Would you like to see the room before we get started?” she asked. Jughead thought she looked nervous and gave her a gentle smile, hoping to calm her nerves.

“Sure, that’d be great,” he nodded. She led him to the left down a hallway and he glanced into the first door they passed and it was definitely her room, as feminine and pretty as her and the second door on the same side of the hallway was the room she was offering. It was large. Twice, if not three times the size of the closet sized room in Archie’s apartment. And as promised, a door that led out to the balcony. He walked over and opened the door and saw it was the same balcony that you accessed from the living room and her room as well. Turning around, he took in the brick and wood, the large bed with the dark bedding, the desk, the dresser and armoire. It seemed perfect.

“This is amazing,” he said with a smile. He followed her out into the hallway again and across the hall was a large bathroom with a tub and a stand up shower and beside the bathroom was a laundry closet. A luxury he had never had in all his years in New York. Even growing up it had always been a communal laundry wherever his parents were renting. The entire place was amazing, with tall ceilings and room to breathe which was much more than he could say for the other apartment. They ended up standing by the island and Jughead took a breath and ran a hand through his hair. “Listen, I should probably say up front, I don’t think I can afford this. My apartment is on the second floor and it’s tiny and utter shit and rent controlled, so I was only paying like $600 for my half and I’m sure this is going to be well above that and….”

“I’d be fine with $600,” she interrupted. Jughead went still and stared at her. 

“What?” he choked out. She bit her lip and he saw her hands curl in on themselves and she hid them behind the island and smiled nervously at him. “I don’t understand,” Jughead said slowly, thinking the woman was slightly addled to even suggest such a thing. “Don’t you need help with the mortgage payment? Do you live here alone?” 

“Well, before I give you that sort of information, I’d like to know if I even want to consider you for the room,” Betty said, shifting on her feet and folding her hands on the granite. He stood quietly and waited for her questions and he couldn’t help but notice how green her eyes were. Her hair was up in a bun so he had no idea how long it was, but from the amount of hair piled into it, he guessed it was probably quite long. She was beautiful and he decided that if she was for real and would only charge him $600 a month, well, she was a lot better looking than Archie, so that was a huge bonus.

“Are you employed?” she asked.

“Yes,” Jughead confirmed. “I work a shift 5 days a week at the bar down the street and I’m a freelance writer for several magazines and papers.”

“So, when you’re not working at the bar, you’re working from home?”

“Yes, usually. Sometimes I go to a coffee shop, but I write mostly at night, at home.” Betty nodded and seemed happy with his answer. 

“You said you rented on the second floor. Why do you want to rent this room?” she asked.

“Ahh….” Jughead let out a nervous laugh and rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, honestly, my roommate kicked me out.” This put her on pause and she chewed her lip.

“Why?”

“I was interfering with his sex life,” Jughead said honestly. “Apparently.” She furrowed her brow and frowned at him.

“I don’t understand.”

“He brought girls home, I’d be on the couch writing; apparently I made them nervous, or something. He told me to find a new place,” he explained sheepishly.

“Well, what the fuck?” she gasped, clearly outraged for him. Jughead smiled. “What kind of person would throw someone out over something like that?”

“My best friend,” he offered, unsure of why he was offering the info, but she seemed so upset for him, it felt good to have someone pissed off on his behalf. 

“And here I wanted to call him for a reference. Well, what a jerk. Strike him off your list, I don’t need his reference,” the woman exclaimed. Jughead bit back a laugh as he pulled out his paper and she took it from him. 

“Wait, Archie Andrews? The red head?”

“Yeah, you know him?” Jughead asked and then he went still. “Wait, please tell me you’re not one of the women….”

“God, no!” she exclaimed. “Although it wasn’t for lack of trying on his part. His girlfriend had barely moved out and he started hitting on me in the lobby every morning. I swear it was like he was waiting for me every time I stepped off the elevator. He’s your best friend?”

“Well, I’m rethinking that,” Jughead said with a grin. She smiled at him and he could see her visibly relaxing.

“So, my request was for someone clean and under 30 as well,” Betty mentioned.

“I don’t have a lot of things, so I’m pretty clean and I’m 25, so there’s that. I’m also not crazy or a serial killer,” he added with a twinkle in his eye. She blushed slightly and he almost laughed.

“Well that’s good,” she said with an exaggerated sigh. “I do have a few rules if you were to move in here.” He waited and she launched right in. “I would prefer if you didn’t bring too many people here. A friend now and then is fine, but no parties. I don’t mind loud music, just not all the time and no death metal, it gives me a headache. No porn out here. If you want to watch it, do it in your room and use headphones. We would share the bathroom and there are two sinks but I require it to stay clean all the time. And you can’t bring women here.” Jughead raised an eyebrow at that.

“Ever?” he asked with a smirk. “Do you have to follow this rule?”

“I’m not seeing anyone and I’m not looking for anyone and I won’t be bringing men here and I would rather avoid awkward encounters, unless of course you already have a girlfriend, then I’m afraid I won’t rent you the room because, well, awkward.”

“I don’t have a girlfriend,” he assured her. “I can follow the rules. I’m no Archie Andrews by any means and I’m not seeing anyone, so for now that’s fine. I’m not much into parties, I don’t listen to death metal and I promise to keep my porn addiction to the bedroom.” She made a face and he laughed. “I’m kidding,” he assured her. “I’m more of a Hollywood Classics than Porn Hub guy.” She seemed relieved and he bit back another laugh. “If you don’t mind me asking, why exactly would you let me pay only $600 rent? That seems ridiculous for this place.”

“Well, I don’t need a roommate to help with finances. I own this apartment and it’s paid for. See, I’m from a small town upstate and there was this murder some years ago, turns out the father shot the son and then ended up killing himself and by some crazy twist of fate, I was related and got an inheritance in the will. I wanted nothing more than to get out of that town and when I turned 21, I was able to withdraw the money from a trust and get out of that hell hole and I took the entire amount and blew it on this apartment,” she explained as if that was the most normal thing in the world. Jughead just stared at her for a minute, trying to process what the hell she just said.

“Okay….what?”

“Nothing, I said too much. I promise I’m not like my relatives. I have never murdered anyone.” Jughead didn’t say anything but figured his face probably told her that he thought she was completely nuts. This would probably be a good time to run. Instead, his brain got lost in her green eyes and he just jumped right over the crazy.

“So you don’t need help with the mortgage? Then why are you renting the room?”

“Because I hate being alone,” she admitted. “Now before you think I’m nuts…” Jughead wondered if he should tell her he already thought she was. “I’m not expecting you to like babysit me or anything weird like that. You can come and go as you please, at whatever hours you want and you don’t have to answer to me at all. I just like the idea of coming home to someone, and knowing someone is here and that I’m not completely alone,” she sighed. 

“So, when you come home from wherever you go, you want me to be here?” he asked, confused.

“No,” she sighed. “You can do what you want. I just like the idea that I won’t be here all by myself. I know I asked for applicants to not be crazy and honestly, I’m starting to feel like you probably think _I’m_ the one who’s crazy,” she said with a grimace. “I just want a roommate and you seem nice and normal and if you don’t think I’m a complete basket case, I’d like to rent the room to you.”

“Any reason why you aren’t insisting on a female?” Jughead asked curiously.

“Well, I wasn’t specific and I’ve already had three females apply and two said ‘no’ to my ‘no parties’ rule and one didn’t like that I didn’t want her to bring guys over for night visits and while it may seem unfair to whoever rents the room, I just wouldn’t feel comfortable, at least at first. It may change once I get to know the person, or you, or whoever ends up with the room.”

“And you’ve decided on me because…..?”

“You have a job, several it seems, you’re okay with my rules, you seem very nice and I’m not getting a _weirdo_ vibe from you and of course you promised you weren’t a serial killer,” she added. Jughead did his best to not smile at her assessment. He decided to not tell her that after a while, she may very well think he was a weirdo. Most people did.

“Well, alright then,” Jughead said with a smile. “I’ll take it. Although I honestly feel bad paying only $600. You could get three times that, so I’ll be completely backwards and raise my own rent. I’ll give you $800. When can I move in?”

“Well, it’s not necessary but I guess if it makes you feel better,” she shrugged. “And you can move in as soon as you want,” she smiled. “I will require the first month’s rent immediately and I’m going to assume I won’t require a damage deposit?”

“If I break anything, I’ll fix it,” he offered with a smile. Betty nodded and walked over to the small desk against the wall and picked up an envelope. She came back and handed it to him.

“All the info you’ll need for address change and whatnot and a set of keys. I work Monday to Friday at the antique book store on 45th and I’m usually home by 5:00, sometimes I work late if I’m doing restoration.” 

“Restoration?” Jughead asked, confused.

“I work with antiques and old books and sometimes some are in need of repair,” Betty explained.

“Wow, that’s really cool. I’ll have to come by and have a look sometime,” he offered. 

“That’d be nice,” she said with a smile. She shook his hand once more and walked him to the door. “It was nice meeting you Jughead and I think this will work out just fine.”

“If it’s alright, I’d like to start tomorrow to get my things here, while you’re at work probably. I really don’t have much so there’s a good chance I’ll be moved in by the time you’re home from work,” he said.

“Sounds great,” Betty smiled and he nodded and headed toward the elevator. He could feel her eyes on him as he walked and smiled to himself. This was very interesting indeed. He had a great new apartment for a fucking steal and his roommate, although slightly strange was about the prettiest girl he’d ever seen. He decided he’d have to thank Archie and his man whoring ways. He had, after all, caused this wonderful turn of events.

 

 

“Wow,” Betty breathed, as she closed the door and leaned against it. When she had opened it earlier, she had not been expecting to see the dark and broody looking man that had been standing there. Boots, black jeans, a dark t-shirt with an S on it, flannel tied around his waist and hanging suspenders. His leather jacket and odd looking crown beanie on his head had completed the rough look and honestly, the guy should have scared her, even a little, but for whatever reason, the warmth and twinkle in his beautiful blue eyes had calmed her nerves.

He was a writer. Had she seen him on the street she would have never looked at him and thought _writer_. She probably would have avoided his gaze and hurried around him, regardless of the fact that he was ridiculously handsome. The inky hair that kept falling across his forehead had driven her to distraction and she had found herself offering up life details that nobody needed to hear because she couldn’t get her brain to function. Good grief, had she really told him about the Blossoms and assured him that she wasn’t a murderer? Or that she wanted a roommate because she didn’t like being alone? While that was true, she had told all the other applicants what they were all thinking; that she needed help with the mortgage and here she was, just blurting out unnecessary truths to this guy.

Was it stupid to tell a guy you only met half an hour earlier that he could move in without calling his references? Probably, but he really did seem like a good guy and she had been in the city long enough to know a creep when she saw one. She got none of that from him. He hadn’t leered at her, hadn’t blatantly checked her out like the other two male applicants had, hadn’t flirted at all. He really did seem like a genuinely nice guy. And now he had a set of keys, so if she was wrong about him….well she just hoped she wasn’t. She sighed and grabbed her phone and dialed her best friend. Veronica would tell her if she was being stupid or not.

“Hey darling,” V answered on the third ring and Betty let out a laugh. 

“Darling?”

“Well, I have nobody else to call Darling, so for now, it’s you,” Veronica explained.

“Don’t tell me you and Reggie broke up again,” Betty said with an eye roll.

“This time for good. I swear to God Betty, I’m over his shit.”

“You always say that.”

“Well, this time I mean it,” V insisted. “So what’s up? I’m about to head out to dinner.”

“Well, you know how I told you I was going to rent one of my rooms because I hated being alone in this huge city and since you haven’t decided to leave that shit hole town yet and join me….”

“Did you find someone? Did you do what I told you? Complete and thorough check? Make sure they aren’t nuts or criminals. References, job, maybe background check.”

“Uhhh, yeah sure, I did all that…” Betty said with a grimace.

“Betty….”

“Okay, so I mostly went with my gut because he seemed perfectly harmless and sweet,” Betty admitted.

“He? Betty, you rented your extra room to a guy and you didn’t do a thorough check?”

“He has a steady job, he’s a writer, he’s quiet, doesn’t make a mess and isn’t a party animal, doesn’t watch porn and doesn’t seem interested in a parade of girls,” Betty assured her.

“God, he sounds kind of dull,” Veronica laughed. “I guess those are good reasons to rent him the room.”

“Well, yeah….those are good reasons and helped with my decision….” Betty said slowly. There was a pause on the other end and Betty could almost see Veronica smirking.

“Betty?” 

“Yes?”

“Spill,” her friend demanded. Betty sighed and flopped down on the couch.

“Well, if he does turn out to be dull, at least he’ll be fun to look at,” Betty laughed. “He’s beautiful, V. I rented him the room mostly because he’s stupidly good looking.”

“Stupidly?”

“Like, so good looking, it’s actually stupid.”

“Well then,” Veronica laughed. “Enjoy.”


	2. Books and Brandy

When Jughead opened his eyes the next morning at the sound of his alarm, he immediately regretted staying up until 3am. He knew he had to get up early to start moving his stuff but he had gotten into a groove with his writing and he hadn’t wanted to stop. Usually he would have slept till noon but his shift started a couple hours earlier than usual today, which he didn’t mind because he’d be able to go home at 9:00 instead of midnight, and to get started on the move meant getting up at the ungodly hour of 8:00 am. As he was trying to muster the energy to get up, his bedroom door suddenly flew open and he winced at the noise of it banging against the wall.

“What the fuck, Archie,” he growled at the red head grinning at him. “Do you mind?”

“I heard your alarm go off and figured I must be hearing things,” Archie laughed.

“So you decided to barge in like an asshole?”

“Why are you getting up so early? Going apartment hunting?” Jughead glared at him and Archie just laughed and left him alone again. 

Jughead didn’t bother telling him he already found a place. In fact, he wasn’t even going to tell him he was moving. He was going to see how long it took the moron to even notice he was gone. He waited until Archie left the apartment and then he got up and grabbed the boxes he still had sitting in the corner of his little room and started packing his things. 

He didn’t have much stuff, mostly books and a few childhood things that he’d kept along the way and the usual crap one collected at 25 when kind of floating around a big city, but it still took him a while to pack it all away. He wandered around the apartment and made sure he collected all his things. Heading down to the lobby, he grabbed the wheeled cart they had there for movers and took it up the elevator. It took 3 loads and by noon, he had all his boxes in his new room. 

It had been strange to show up and let himself into the new place without Betty there. He felt like he was intruding but the bright light and openness of the place soon made him sigh with relief. He pushed the cart into the hall to clean up later and went back inside. He wandered around looking at pictures and things standing around, trying to get a clue about the person he would be living with. Everything seemed completely normal. The kitchen was fully stocked with cookware and dishes and the fridge and pantry was also stocked with an array of food and snacks. Obviously he’d have to buy his own grocery, but he was happy to see she didn’t live on rabbit food.

He went to his room and stared at the boxes and let out a sigh. He didn’t feel like unpacking but he may as well. He found that chore easier than the actual packing. He turned to the bed and noticed a piece of paper on the pillow and he walked over and picked it up.

_Jughead,_  
_Welcome to your new room. Please make yourself at home._  
_Help yourself to snacks and whatever you want to eat and I’ll see you soon._  
_P.S. I never asked if you smoked, if you do, please do it on the balcony with the doors closed._

Jughead smiled and put the note on the bedside table and flopped down on the bed. He almost groaned at the comfort. It was king sized and had no lumps, unlike the tiny single bed he had been sleeping on in the last two months. As for smoking, he did on occasion when he was stressed or bored, but it wasn’t a big habit and really, he always wanted to just quit, but he hadn’t yet. He got up and wandered out on the balcony. It was a great view, being able to look out over some of the city and high enough where the street noise didn’t really affect them.

He actually really liked the area and had lived near and around it for a few years. There was shopping, café’s, bars, restaurants, everything at your fingertips, no matter what you wanted. The street itself was beautiful, with trees and old architecture that he always loved to gaze at. There was also a nice park a ways down and he could see it from the balcony. He took a deep content breath and went back inside to start unpacking. When he took his toiletries into the bathroom, he was surprised to see men’s body wash and shampoo already in the shower. They were brand new and he wondered if she just had them sitting around or if she had gone out to get some the night before. Her things were at the sink on the right so he put his other stuff next to the other one. When he pulled the drawer open, he found new toothpaste and toothbrush and various other things. He smiled and put his used things next to the new ones. His roommate was very sweet.

 

Betty straightened up from where she was hunched over her work and stretched her back with a groan. The old book she was restoring for a customer was proving difficult and she had been at it for several hours. The pages were laced together with delicate stitching and it had taken her an hour just the match the old thread and getting it through the tiny holes without tearing was harder than usual. She decided to break for lunch and left her small, brightly lit work station and made her way to the front counter where her friend Ginny was helping a customer. She finished up the sale and then turned and smiled at Betty.

“How’s it going with that book? It looks like it’s a hard job.”

“It is,” Betty sighed. “I may need to charge extra for the stress,” she laughed.

“Mr, Engle would happily pay it Betty, you’re really good at your job. That’s why you have so much work.”

“I suppose, but it can be so frustrating.”

“Did you find yourself a roommate yet?” Ginny asked as she went to the coffee maker and poured Betty a cup.

“I did actually,” Betty smiled, taking the cup and blowing at the steaming brew.

“Really? Do tell.”

“Well, he fit all my criteria and demands and he actually seems very nice,” Betty shrugged, trying to make it seem like it was no big deal. 

“You went with a guy? I’m surprised. I figured you’d be too anxious to do that. What’s he look like?” Betty said nothing and just smiled as she sipped her coffee. “Oh my god,” Ginny laughed. “He’s hot and that’s why you picked him, isn’t it?”

“No, I swear, he fit the entire list of what I wanted and was fine with all my weird demands.”

“Uh huh,” the other girl said with a knowing smirk.

“Shut up,” Betty sighed and then let out a laugh. “Ok, fine, he’s super good looking and it made the decision very easy,” she admitted.

“I can’t believe you,” Ginny laughed as she settled on the old chair behind the sales counter. “Do you ever think things through before you do them?”

“I used to,” Betty said with an eye roll. “My whole life was rules and expectations and thinking and making sure everything was perfect and honestly, I just got sick of it. Growing up in Riverdale, trying to be perfect for everyone was exhausting and as soon as I could, I left that behind and came to the city and now, I do what I want and I try not to think about it too long or I’ll start listing reasons why it’s not a good idea and honestly, sometimes, I just like doing something completely nuts.”

“Like renting your spare bedroom to a really hot guy?” Ginny laughed.

“Yes, exactly like that,” Betty grinned. “Lucky for me, he also happens to appear very decent and nice.”

“Maybe it’s fate,” her friend said with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

“Oh stop,” Betty sighed. “I’m not looking for any guy to sweep me off my feet, or any relationship or anything like that, but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy the view,” she giggled as she got up and went back to her work table.

“There’s a crazy girl inside you Betty Cooper,” Ginny laughed after her. Betty just smiled and sat down to work on the book again. Her phone buzzed and she picked it up and looked at the screen. After Jughead had left the day before, she had pulled his number from the recent calls list and made a contact for him. He had sent a text.

_J: Hey, it’s Jughead. Just giving you a heads up that I moved my stuff in and to thank you for the welcome note. I have a shift at the bar at 3:00 today and I’ll be back around 9:30. I just wanted to let you know so I don’t scare you when I come home, since you probably aren’t used to anyone coming and going._

Betty smiled at the message and the words _when I come home_. It made it very official. She was no longer living alone.

**B: Okay. Thanks for letting me know and you’re welcome. :)**

She put the phone down and went back to work with a smile on her face.

 

When Jughead let himself into his new place that evening, Betty was curled up on the couch reading a book. She looked up and smiled at him and he was a little taken aback again at how pretty she was. She looked a little different in pajama pants and a tshirt, and her face scrubbed clean. Her hair was once again up in a bun and he wondered what it looked like down.

“Hey,” he said softly, pausing to take off his boots and put them to the side. He was carrying a bag of chips he had been snacking on and he put the bag down on the island.

“Hi,” she replied. She put the book down and got up, walking into the kitchen. “Did you eat any dinner yet?” she asked, surprising Jughead. "Or is that it?" she asked, pointing to the chips.

“Uh, yeah, I grabbed a burger at the bar earlier,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. She made him a little nervous and he didn’t really know why. 

“Oh,” Betty said, chewing her lip. “Well, if you’re still hungry, there’s left overs in the fridge. I love to cook and I do it almost every day and I still haven’t mastered how to cook for one, so you can help yourself whenever you want. Help yourself to any snacks or food you like.”

“Well, thank you, it’s not necessary though,” Jughead insisted.

“I know, but really, there’s more than enough and you don’t need to eat out every day. I’m sure you’d appreciate a home cooked meal once in a while.”

“Yeah, that sounds nice. Thank you. And I’ll help pay for grocery if you cook for me,” he added.

“You raising your own rent again?” she asked with a smile, leaning against the island.

“Well, if you’re going to feed me,” he shrugged. 

“Is there anything you don’t eat?” Betty asked curiously. Jughead grinned and shook his head.

“I’ll eat anything, I love all food.”

“Oh,” she exclaimed, clapping her hands together. “I love to experiment. You could be like my guinea pig and I’ll try recipes on you.” Jughead just smiled at her excitement, not sure of how to respond. All he could think was that he must be dreaming. A great room, and a beautiful roommate who wanted to cook for him. He decided he better not screw this up because he couldn’t think of anything better at the moment. 

“Well, that sounds good,” he finally said. “I’m gonna go take a shower, if that’s alright.”

“Of course, you don’t need to ask,” Betty laughed. “I didn’t know if you had any soap or shampoo, so I took the liberty of getting you some,” she added. Jughead paused and looked at her.

“Yeah, I saw that earlier, you really didn’t have to,” he said softly.

“Sorry,” Betty said sheepishly. “I just thought it would be a nice welcome.” She looked almost embarrassed and Jughead felt bad.

“It was, thank you,” he said quickly. She just smiled at him and he headed back to his room to drop his things and get himself showered.

 

“Oh my goodness,” Betty whispered to herself as she let out a deep breath. She felt a little overwhelmed and took a moment to steady herself. She was officially living with the man and he seemed larger than life as he had stood there. Again dressed mostly in black with the leather jacket, he looked almost dangerous and it was an interesting contrast with his kind eyes and gentle smile. She went back to the couch and opted for watching TV over reading and it was a little odd hearing him head into the bathroom and the shower turning on. She was so used to quiet in the evenings, this was going to take some getting used to.

When he came back out 20 minutes later, Betty was completely flabbergasted. He looked so completely different, she wondered if he was the same person. Gone was dark ensemble and in its place, blue flannel pajamas pants and a white tank top and honestly, she tried really hard to not notice his muscular arms or chest and stomach for that matter, but the tank top seemed molded to him and she decided this may well have been the best decision of her life. His hair was uncovered and it was thick, unruly and she suddenly wanted to run her hands through it.

Betty stifled a sigh and tried to concentrate on the TV. For someone not wanting a guy or a relationship, she sure was excited about the new roommate. Well, looking and touching were two completely different things and she didn’t have a lot of experience with guys, so it’s not like she was going to just jump him. But God, there was a first time for everything, right? She gave herself an inward eye roll and flipped the channel.

Jughead had carried his laptop with him and set it on the island as he grabbed himself a bottle of water from the fridge.

“Do you want me to turn the TV off?” Betty asked when he picked up his laptop and the bag of chips. “I mean, if you’re working?”

“No, it’s fine, it won’t bother me. I’m just used to sitting on the couch while I write. I can go to my room if it bothers you,” Jughead said, gesturing down the hall.

“No, don’t be silly, you can sit here.” He came over and sat on the opposite end of the couch from her and opened his laptop, relaxing back and lifting his feet to rest on the coffee table. She wondered briefly why he didn’t sit on the other couch facing the fireplace, as it would have been more private for him to work, but she wasn’t about to ask him and have him leave.

“That okay?” he asked with a nod to his feet. She nodded and he held out the bag of chips, offering her some. 

"No thanks," she said with a smile and turned back to the TV. He started typing almost immediately and they sat in silence for a while. She couldn’t tell if it was an awkward silence or just a relaxed silence. She certainly wasn’t relaxed. She had a complete stranger sitting on her couch, looking as if he’d been there for years and seeming totally unbothered. She glanced at him and watched his fingers flying over the keys. He had nice hands. They looked strong. She rolled her eyes at herself again and turned back to the TV and when she glanced back again not a moment later, she saw a smile playing on his lips.

“You alright?” he asked, his eyes not leaving the screen. He paused and looked at her. “I can go to my room if you want. I know it must be odd having someone here.”

“No, it’s okay, really. I need to get used to it eventually,” Betty shrugged, pulling her legs up and wrapping her arms around them. “What are you writing?” she asked.

“An article for a magazine about the effects of gang life on young men and women trying to get out of the life,” Jughead said, turning back to the laptop.

“How do you write something like that? You know anybody who’s been in a gang?”

“A couple of people,” he said with a rueful smile. 

“Have you always wanted to be a writer?” she asked after a few more minutes of silence. 

“As long as I’ve been able to write,” Jughead answered.

“You don’t look like a writer,” Betty blurted and then winced at her idiotic observation. He smiled in amusement at her.

“What does a writer look like?”

“I don’t know,” she laughed. “Tweed jackets, slacks and glasses? Not combat boots, leather jackets and suspenders.”

“Don’t judge a book by its cover, I suppose,” he said with a wink. He started writing again but Betty was too curious to stop disturbing him.

“Did the red head really kick you out because you were….well, because of what you said?” she asked.

“Yup.”

“Well, how long were you there? His girlfriend only left 3 months ago.”

“I moved in two months ago,” Jughead answered. “Around the time he started banging everything that walked.”

“And he just kicked you out? Just like that?”

“Just like that. I happened to see your paper in the lobby the day I was going to start looking. I wasn’t even going to apply but figured what’s the worst that could happen,” Jughead said, shutting down his laptop and setting it on the coffee table, choosing the conversation over writing for the time being. He shifted slightly so he was facing her, digging into the bag of chips.

“Why weren’t you going to apply?”

“Well, I knew these apartments were nice and figured it’d be too expensive, or rather, more than I was willing to pay and I honestly figured it’d be an older person with a lot of rules.”

“But instead it was someone younger with a lot of rules?” she said, letting out a giggle. Jughead couldn’t help but grin at her observation.

“Well, at least you didn’t give me a curfew,” he shrugged. “What are you watching?”

“I have no idea,” she sighed. “I’m a little distracted.”

“Yeah, I have that effect on women,” Jughead said casually. “They like to stare.” Betty’s eyes flew back to him and saw the teasing look on his face and she flushed, wondering if he realized how very true his statement was. “I’m kidding,” he laughed.

“You’re not wrong,” she admitted with a smile. She turned back to the TV and tried really hard not to blush even more. Jughead said nothing, but he was smiling when she peeked another look at him. 

“So tell me about your job,” he said after a while. Betty turned toward him and folded her legs under her. He was giving her his undivided attention and she almost forgot to start talking, he was so handsome. She really needed to get a hold of herself.

“Well, it’s an antique store, dealing mostly in old and first addition books. We have some decorative pieces and furniture, but mostly old books.”

“So, not like junk antiques, but the expensive stuff that will cost a pretty penny,” he observed.

“Exactly. Like, last week we sold a first addition, signed, Albert Camus book, L’Étranger (The Stranger). He had some inscriptions in there as well and it went for $30,000.”

“Holy shit,” Jughead gasped.

“Yeah,” Betty said with a chuckle. “I’m sometimes scared to even touch those books.”

“And you do restorations?”

“Yes,” she said proudly. “I took a course on it and the owner of the shop taught me the finer points of it. I’m working on a book right now and it’s so old, it’s actually held together with lacing. Trying to get it to look like it would have in its original state is very hard but it pays good,” she added.

“Wow, that’s impressive. I’m definitely going to stop by and have a look soon.”

“What about you? Obviously you love writing and it must pay well, so how come you work at the bar?”

“Gets me off the couch and outside,” Jughead said with a laugh. “I’m seriously such a loner, I’d turn into a recluse in no time if I didn’t get out.”

“So you chose a loud and obnoxious place to work where people are always in your face?” 

“Precisely! Keeps me on my toes and helps me remember why I don’t generally like people and that it's okay,” Jughead explained. Betty raised an eyebrow and then burst out laughing. 

“Well, I guess that’s as good a reason as any."

“See?” he smiled. “It’s a good thing you picked me, because you totally get me.”

“I really don’t, because I don’t like people either, and therefore, I hide in the back of an antique store and I generally only see the occasional recluse who pays ridiculous amounts of money for old books. So basically, I see people that you’re trying to not turn into.”

“Well, Betty Cooper, we might just be a match made in heaven, because if I do turn into one, I can always come see you,” Jughead said with a grin as he turned back to the TV. Betty smiled and looked at the TV as well. So, he was cute _and_ funny. Even better.

 

It was Friday night and the bar was crowded and Jughead kept glancing at the time and sighing because he was driving himself nuts. He had three more hours to go and he couldn’t wait to get home and relax on the couch. Well, okay, he couldn’t wait to get home and hang out with Betty. As odd as she had seemed when they first met, she was actually a lot of fun and he enjoyed getting to know her. Although, the last couple of nights he’d gotten in pretty late and she was heading to bed already and they’d only exchanged a few words of greeting. 

He’d been there for four days and had realized two important things. Betty was a phenomenal cook _and_ she didn’t get along with her mother. He had come home the night before to her yelling on the phone and if he hadn’t heard ‘mom’ in the middle of her rant, he would’ve have thought it was her mortal enemy. Then again, maybe she was. By the time Betty had yelled at her to ‘stop trying to run her life’ and hung up in a rage, her eyes had been filled with tears and she had stormed to her room, her hands clenched into fists and slammed the door and hadn’t come out again. When he had knocked and asked if she was okay, she had yelled that she was fine and that was the last he had heard for the rest of the night.

“Hey, Jughead,” an all too familiar voice called and Jughead sighed before he turned around.

“Hey Arch, what’s up?” he asked as he faced his former roommate.

“Just came by to see what’s up? Where you been lately? I haven’t seen you in days. You hooking up with someone?” Archie asked with a smirk. Jughead raised an eyebrow.

“You’re kidding, right?” he asked as he turned to one of the waitresses trying to yell him an order.

“I need three Bud’s and a rum and coke,” she said to him over the noise. He nodded and got to making the order.

“Why would I be kidding?” Archie asked as he took a seat on the end of the bar. “Get me a beer, would you?” Jughead got the waitress her order and then carried a beer over to him. “Seriously, where you been?”

“You told me to find a new place to live, so I did. I moved out.” Jughead almost laughed at the shocked look on Archie’s face.

“What? When?”

“The day after you told me to leave. Moved on Wednesday,” he explained.

“Are you joking?” Archie asked.

“No, I’m not joking. You told me to leave and so I did. Thanks for noticing by the way.”

“Well, how would I notice? It’s not like I ever go in your room and you keep weird hours. I just realized today you literally haven’t been there and I figured you hooked up with someone.” 

“Nope, just moved.” Someone yelled for him and Jughead walked to the other end of the bar to take the order.

“Hey handsome,” a flirty brunette said to him, her eye lids fluttering seductively. If Jughead had been an asshole, he'd have rolled his eyes. 

“What can I get you?” he asked with his usual friendly smile.

“Well, what do you recommend?” she asked, trying to be cute. 

“For you? Lite beer or sangria,” he recommended, thinking she’d probably be drunk after one drink.

“I’ll have a sangria then,” she smiled. “Tropical.” Jughead nodded and quickly fixed the drink and set it in front of her and turned back to Archie before she started talking again.

“Listen man, I was being a jerk. I mean, you didn’t actually have to move,” Archie said sheepishly. “You can come back if you want.” Jughead laughed and braced his hands against the bar.

“Is there a lull in your lady fucking?” he asked with a smirk. “Now you lonely for company?”

“Nah, I just feel bad now that you tell me you actually fucking moved,” Archie said with a wince. “Seriously man, you can come back if you want.”

“I’m good Archie,” Jughead assured him. “Plus, my new roommate is a hell of a lot prettier than you, and she feeds me.” He walked back to the returning waitress and started on his new order.

“Woah! You’re living with a chick? How hot is she?” Archie asked in excitement. Jughead laughed and finished up his order and walked back to him.

“I moved to the top floor,” he informed him.

“Of my building? Are you shitting me?” his friend asked, eyes wide.

“Nope, got me some real nice digs,” Jughead grinned.

“How nice?”

“Huge bedroom, king sized bed, no lumps, balcony off the bedroom, massive shower, the works baby,” he couldn’t help but brag.

“No shit! Man, that’s not fair. How much? $2000 a month?” Archie asked.

“Less than $1000.”

“Okay, now I know you’re bullshitting. Is this person crazy?”

“No, she’s actually really great.”

“Do I know her?” Archie asked. Jughead didn’t say anything and pulled his buzzing phone from his pocket. It was a text from Betty.

_Betty: Hey Jughead. I just wanted to apologize for last night. My mom makes me a little crazy and I didn’t mean to seem like a psycho._

He leaned back against the ice machine and sent one back.

**Jughead: Don’t worry about it. I get it, parents can be annoying.**

_Betty: My mother is more of a general than a mother :(_

**Jughead: You have any plans this evening?**

_Betty: Was gonna curl up with a book and feel sorry for myself._

**Jughead: On a Saturday night? Why don’t you come down to the bar? Drinks on me? Keep me company till my shift ends.**

_Betty: Okay :)_

**Jughead: Ugly Joe’s on 57th.**

_Betty: Be there soon._

Jughead smiled and put his phone back in his pocket. Now he didn’t have to watch the time anymore. He went back to serving drinks and making small talk with Archie, who he actually wished would leave, but it seemed like he was sticking around. Twenty minutes later, she showed up.

“Hey, there’s that hot blonde from our building. I’ve been trying to get a date with her for weeks,” Archie said suddenly. Jughead turned and saw Betty making her way toward the bar. God she was pretty and he tried really hard to seem casual as he stared at her. 

Her hair was down. And it was glorious. A blonde wavy mass that fell to the middle of her back. She was wearing tight jeans and a loose white top that seemed to float around her. It didn’t quite reach the waist of her jeans and he tried not to stare at the strip of skin that was showing on her stomach. Her makeup was subtle and her green eyes lit up when she saw him. She hesitated a bit when she saw Archie but then moved forward anyway and took a seat a few stools down from him.

“Hey you,” Jughead said with a smile, coming over to greet her. 

“Hi,” she smiled back, feeling her insides warm at his welcoming smile. He looked genuinely happy that she was there. Not to mention, he looked hot in his tight black t-shirt and black jeans and she decided that sitting for a couple of hours with the hot bartender sure beat sitting at home on a Saturday night. Funnily enough, she was going home with him too. 

“What can I get you?” he asked. 

“Cognac?” 

“Coming right up,” Jughead said with a wink and went to get the drink. Betty let out a small sigh when Archie Andrews slid onto the stool next to her. 

“Fancy meeting you here,” he said with a smile that she figured was meant to make her swoon. She figured she better put a stop to this before it even began because she knew exactly what he was going to attempt.

“Well, Jughead invited me and since we live together, I figured, why the hell not? I can’t think of a better way to spend my Saturday night than with my hot new roommate.” Betty couldn’t actually believe she said the words until they came out of her mouth and she peeked at Jughead and saw the smile play on his lips as he poured her drink. Of course he heard her, despite the music playing. Archie reared back in surprise.

“Seriously? You’re his new roommate?”

“No, he’s mine,” she corrected. 

“You own an apartment on the top floor?”

“I sure do,” Betty said with a smug smile. Jughead walked over and handed her the drink and she smiled her thanks as he immediately headed down the bar to see another customer. For the next 15 minutes he was busy filling orders and sent her a look of apology as Archie chatted her ear full of nonsense. He finally had to go to bathroom, just as Jughead got a break.

“Sorry about that,” he grimaced as he rested his hands on the edge of the bar in front of her.

“It’s alright,” she shrugged, sipping her drink.

“So,” he said with a smile. “Hot roommate, huh?”

“Shut up,” she said, her face flushing hot. “I said it to discourage him.”

“Sure you did,” he grinned.

“Hello again!” a brunette woman purred to Jughead, as she slid in beside Betty. “That drink you recommended earlier was amazing. I think I’ll have another.”

“Sure, coming right up,” Jughead said with a small smile and got to mixing it. Betty looked at the woman and raised an eyebrow. She wasn’t subtle at all with her ‘come do me’ eyes. When Jughead brought her the drink, she made sure to take it from his hand, her fingers sliding lightly over his. Betty worked really hard to not roll her eyes.

“So, tell me handsome, what are you doing after your shift? Maybe we could meet out back and get to know each other,” the woman suggested. Betty almost choked on her drink.

“We keep the garbage out back,” Jughead said, his eyes full of amusement as they fixed on Betty trying to not spit her drink.

“I don’t mind,” the woman teased. Jughead raised an eyebrow and Betty looked at the woman with a look that she hoped conveyed her best _‘what the fuck?_ ’ expression.

“I don’t think he’s into dumpster diving,” she commented.

“Excuse me?” the woman gasped. Betty gave her a sweet smile and turned back to Jughead.

“So, we’ll head home as soon as you’re done here?” she asked casually.

“Oh,” the woman said, her face turning red. “You two are together?”

“No.” Betty held his gaze as they said the word at the same time. His eyes danced with amusement and she bit her lip to keep from laughing. The woman rolled her eyes and grabbed her drink and walked away.

“How’s that brandy?” Jughead asked with a smile.

“Wonderful,” she said, taking another sip. “So, how long is your shift?” she asked.

“Why? Can’t wait to take me home?” he teased. 

“Actually, that’s true, I can’t wait,” Betty admitted, hiding her smile at his surprised look. “Figured we’d make some popcorn and watch a movie.” A soft look came over him and he smiled at her.

“That sounds really great,” he said happily. “Nothing like popcorn and a movie. The company won’t be bad either,” he added with a wink as he backed away and moved to help a customer. Betty sighed and watched him, sipping her drink. The man certainly knew how to flirt.

“So, where were we?” Archie said brightly as he suddenly reappeared.

“Actually, there was a woman here a minute ago asking about you,” Betty said with an innocent smile.

“Oh yeah?” he said, his interest peaked. “Which one?” Betty glanced around until she saw the brunette near the back wall, her gaze still fixed on Jughead. 

“That one there,” she said, pointing to her. “Said something about wanting to go out back.” Archie grinned and with a quick wave, made his way across the bar. Betty watched and wasn’t surprised when he managed to grab the woman’s interest almost immediately and soon they were heading out the door.

“I can’t believe you did that,” Jughead laughed, having seen the whole thing.

“Figured I’d kill two horny birds with one stone,” she shrugged. Jughead held out his fist and she giggled as she bumped it with her own. 

Flirting and fist bumping, an interesting combination indeed, she thought.

Later that night, they sat on the couch in pajama pants and t-shirts, a bowl of popcorn between them, feet up on the coffee table, arguing about which movie to watch. He finally convinced her to watch a Hitchcock horror and she curled up against the cushions and smiled at him. Jughead Jones was turning out to be a surprisingly fun roommate. When they’d gotten home, he’d asked if she wanted to talk about the previous night and she had declined. Her evening with him had been really nice and more fun than she’d had in a while and she didn’t want to ruin it talking about her mother. 

“Eyes on the movie,” he said smiling, his gaze not leaving the TV. Betty flushed and turned to the screen and he nudged her foot with his own. She smiled and reached for a hand full of popcorn.


	3. Flirty Tease

Betty leaned against the balcony railing and sipped her coffee as she looked down at the street below. It was a beautiful Friday morning and she was glad it was the last work day of the week. It had been busy this week. Not busy in the sense that there were a lot of customers, but she had restored a couple of books and they had been so fragile, her stress had been through the roof the entire time. It was exhausting work, more mentally than anything and she had gone to bed early pretty much the entire week.

Jughead had been living with her for just over two weeks already and she actually hadn’t seen him all week as his shifts at the bar had been until midnight and he was always asleep when she woke for work. They had exchanged a few texts but other than that, they didn’t talk or see each other. 

She actually missed him. The previous week they had spent a couple of hours each night watching TV together or chatting about work and just slowly getting more comfortable with each other, although after their evening at the bar that first week and their movie watching after, they had been pretty relaxed with each other. 

It was slowly starting to show that he lived there and Betty actually enjoyed seeing his things around the apartment. His boots at the door when she woke in the morning. For whatever reason it made her happy to see them because she knew he was home safe. His things in the bathroom. Sometimes he left his laptop on the coffee table. The odd tshirt that he’d leave hanging over the back of a chair, or his flannel shirt. Bottles of whiskey and the brandy she liked that suddenly took up collection on the kitchen counter. His beer in the fridge. The seemingly never ending supply of chocolate bars and chips in the pantry. His leather jacket that hung on the coat tree

She walked back into the apartment and rinsed her cup, leaving it sitting in the sink. She grabbed her things to head to work, happy that it was the weekend and she’d be able to spend time with him again. He really was so much fun to hang out with, always with the jokes and flirting and making her laugh. 

Betty left the apartment and headed to work. It was a beautiful day out and she enjoyed the sunshine as she walked. Ginny was already there and wiping down an antique desk they had gotten in the day before when she arrived. It was beautiful and Betty was seriously considering buying it, but the price tag made her hesitate.

“Nobody buy my desk yet?” she asked with a sigh as she walked by. 

“Well, we only just got it in,” Ginny laughed. “Give it a week and I say it’ll be sold. This is stunning.”

“I’ll cry when it sells,” Betty said sadly as she dropped her bag and jacket behind the counter. “Did my ink order come in yet?” she asked, pouring herself another cup of coffee. She decided she probably needed to cut back on the stuff, but it had been a rough week and she was going to need it to finish the day. She was almost done with her latest book restoration and none waiting after that and she was grateful for the break. She loved her work, but sometimes, being able to just lounge around the store and putting things in order was the kind of mindless work she enjoyed.

“Yeah, I put it by your work station. Let me know when you fix the wording, I want to watch.”

“Will do,” Betty said, sitting down and getting ready to work. She got right to it and before she even realized it, a few hours had gone by. She decided to do a couple of ink fixes and called Ginny over. “Hand me that ink quill there,” she requested and Ginny handed it to her and she dipped it into the pot of ink.

“I guess you have to have a pretty steady hand for this.”

“Yeah, if I screw this up, the fix is almost impossible.” Betty bent over and carefully traced the lettering with the ink and was relieved that it matched perfectly.

“So, how’s Jug-Head,” Ginny asked with a giggle. Betty rolled her eyes and paused her hand.

“I hate how you say his name,” she muttered. “It’s one word, not two.”

“Who cares, it’s a weird name,” the other girl laughed. 

“He’s good, I assume. I haven’t seen him all week.” Betty answered.

“Why not?”

“He’s been working the late shift and I’m in bed when he gets home and he’s in bed when I get up to go to work.”

“Well, maybe you should share the same bed?” Ginny giggled. 

“Will you stop,” Betty sighed. “I’m not going to sleep with my roommate.”

“That’s what you say now.”

“Ginny!”

“Okay, okay,” her friend said with a grin. “I’m only teasing.”

“Yeah…” Betty muttered, bending over the book. She of course didn’t tell her that she may or may not have thought about sleeping with him the other day when she was taking a bath and may or may not have ended up gasping his name when her hand starting to wander over her body and she had been properly mortified with herself after. Really, it was all his fault for being so hot and muscular. And strong, probably. And his hands, the guy had the most amazing hands. Long fingers that could probably….

“Betty!” She jumped when Ginny snapped her name and lifted her head, blinking at her.

“What?”

“God, where the hell did you go? I said your name like five times! You have a visitor,” Ginny explained, tilting her head toward the front. Betty looked and was surprised to see Jughead and felt her face heat up as if he’d somehow been aware of what she was thinking.

“Jug – Jughead,” she stammered, sitting up quickly.

“Holy shit, that’s Jughead?” Ginny whispered, and not quietly either. Betty saw Jughead smirk and gave her friend a little kick behind the work desk. “Ow! What the hell did you kick me for?” the girl asked with a frown.

“For God’s sake,” Betty sighed, standing and taking off her gloves. She could see Jughead was biting back his laughter and she rolled her eyes and walked over to him.

“So, you been talking about me?” he asked with a grin as he leaned on the counter. 

“I told my co-worker that I had a new roommate, that’s all,” Betty grumbled, trying to stop feeling all flustered.

“Why are you all red?” he teased.

“Will you stop it,” she laughed, shoving his shoulder. She smiled then, happy to see him and of course he looked as delicious as she remembered. “What are you doing here anyway?” she asked.

“I thought I’d see where you worked, maybe take you to lunch, if you want?” he suggested with a smile.

“Oh, okay,” Betty said in excitement. “Can you give me a few minutes to close up my ink and things?”

“Take your time, I’ll browse a little,” Jughead said, straightening up. He started to wander around the shop and Ginny grabbed her arm and pulled her to the back.

“Oh my god!!! That’s your roommate?” she whispered. “I think I may die.”

“Good grief, you’re dramatic,” Betty laughed. She sealed up the ink and set the little fan on the book page to make sure it dried thoroughly.

“No, seriously. How are you going to just look and not touch?” she wanted to know.

“By concentrating really hard,” Betty joked. 

“Seriously Betty,” Ginny sighed, chewing on her lip as she leaned over to stare at Jughead. 

“Ginny?”

“Hmmmm?” Ginny was so engrossed in looking at him, she nearly fell over and Betty grabbed her arm.

“Will you stop?” Betty laughed.

“Well, if you’re not interested, can I ask….”

“No!” Betty winced at her quick and firm retort. Ginny smirked at her.

“A little possessive for a ‘look but don’t touch’ roommate,” she teased. Betty flushed and let out a sigh.

“Sorry, I just…”

“Betty, it’s fine,” Ginny said with a smile. “I know you’re crushing on him, I would never.”

“I’m not….Okay, fine, I am a little,” Betty admitted. “But I’m still not doing anything about it, and you can’t either and that’s that.” Ginny just laughed as she grabbed a book and settled in a chair to read. Betty shook her head and had a little laugh with her and walked over to where Jughead was looking at some books. He picked one up off a display stand and she hurried over and carefully took it from his hands and put it back.

“I don’t think you want to pay for that if you drop it and 'break it', so to speak,” she explained.

“Why? What is it?” he asked.

“ _That _is A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. It’s a first edition, in rare original cloth cover. It’s an exceptional unrestored copy. Quite literally, a historical masterpiece and it’s worth $15,000,” she explained.__

__“Jesus, wow,” he breathed, gently brushing his fingers over it. “That’s amazing.”_ _

__“I know,” she said softly, touching it as well. She felt his gaze on her and she turned and smiled at him. “Come have a look at this,” she spoke suddenly, taking his arm and pulling him over to the desk she so admired. “We got this in yesterday and I’m in love!”_ _

__“This is beautiful,” he said, brushing his hand along the top of the wood. “What is it?”_ _

__“An Edwardian rosewood and marquetry Carlton House desk manufactured by Edwards & Roberts, circa 1900,” Betty explained in a hushed voice. “It’s inlaid with this beautiful satinwood marquetry of ribbons, swags, bell flowers and swirls. I think it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” she gushed._ _

__“It’s quite a desk,” Jughead agreed. “I can see you sitting at it, maybe restoring a book?” he smiled._ _

__“See how the top has been lined with this beautiful tan leather inset? One of the drawer fronts has the Edwards and Roberts impressed stamp.”_ _

__“What would this puppy set you back?” Jughead asked._ _

__“About $3600.”_ _

__“That’s not even bad,” he said in surprise, taking a closer look. “Maybe I should buy it.”_ _

__“Shut up,” she laughed._ _

__“No, I’m serious,” Jughead said and she realized that he was._ _

__“You’d really buy this?” she gasped. “Can you afford it?” He gave her an amused smile and she blushed. “Sorry, that was nosy.”_ _

__“Well, to answer your questions, yes and yes.”_ _

__“Well, that’s really amazing and since you’re living with me, having this in my home for a while would be just…wow, but you need to take some time and think about this. You don’t make impulsive antique buys. I insist.”_ _

__“Alright,” Jughead laughed. “I’ll eat and sleep on it. Now, speaking of eating, I’m hungry, so, how about that lunch?”_ _

__“Okay, let’s go,” Betty smiled and they left the store together. They found a small café down the street and were soon settled at a table outside in the sunshine with sandwiches and lemonade. It was a beautiful day and a perfect way to head into the weekend._ _

__“So what made you come by and take me to lunch?” she asked as she bit into her sandwich._ _

__“I missed you,” he replied with a smile._ _

__“I missed you too,” Betty said, feeling a little flushed. “You’ve been working really late. How’s the weekend looking?”_ _

__“Well, good news! I have off until Monday, so what should we do all weekend?” he asked. Betty looked at him in surprise._ _

__“You want to spend it with me?” she asked._ _

__“Well, why not?” he shrugged. “I like your company. I could always go hang with Archie, but he isn’t much fun to flirt with,” he grinned. Betty choked a little on her lemonade._ _

__“You’re so…” she rolled her eyes at his smirk. “Too cocky in your flirting abilities,” she finished lamely. He laughed softly and she glared at him._ _

__“What? I’m not allowed to laugh?” he asked. Of course he was allowed to laugh, but when his laugh was this soft sexy sound that made her entire body shiver, well, that was…. “Betty?” Her eyes snapped to his and she could see the laughter there and she let out a sigh._ _

__“So what do you want to do?” she turned the question around on him._ _

__“Well, I’m pretty boring,” Jughead said with a shrug. “I’m good with staying in and watching TV or sleeping.”_ _

__“Sleeping?”_ _

__“Yeah, you know, napping, or….not napping….” He suggested with a wink. Betty flushed red at his insinuation and he started laughing._ _

__“You’re so annoying!” she huffed._ _

__“You’re pretty when you blush,” he smiled and she ducked her eyes and bit into her sandwich. “Do you blush all over?”_ _

__“Jughead!” she snapped, her face on fire._ _

__“I’m sorry,” he laughed. “It’s too easy and I can’t help myself.”_ _

__“I thought you said you were a weirdo who didn’t like people. You sure as hell know how to flirt,” she sighed._ _

__“Would you believe me if I told you that I’m not really a flirt?” he asked with a smile._ _

__“No, I definitely wouldn’t,” Betty said with a laugh. She squinted her eyes at him. “Are you going to try and get me into bed? Because I’m going to tell you right now, it won’t work.”_ _

__“I don’t know,” Jughead teased. “I feel like you’re very receptive to my charm,” he said with a wiggle of his eyebrows. She gave him a look. “I promise I’m just teasing,” he laughed. Betty wasn’t sure if she was disappointed or relieved and then, of course, he just had to throw her another bone. “But, if you ever change your mind….” He added with a grin. Betty laughed and finished off her food and stood, throwing her wrapper in the garbage._ _

__“Do you want to live with Archie again?” she asked, trying to sound serious._ _

__“Fuck no,” Jughead exclaimed. “I’ll be on my best behaviour from now on,” he promised, getting up with her. She smiled as she started walking. “If you promise to stop being so pretty.”_ _

__She shoved him into a shrub._ _

__

__After dropping her off back at work, Jughead wandered around for a bit before ending up back at the apartment. He grabbed a beer from the fridge and settled down on the couch to write a little. He had enjoyed his lunch with Betty and he figured he should probably not tease her so much, but he so enjoyed making her blush, he almost couldn’t help it. He wasn’t about to lie to himself. He was completely attracted to her. The woman was stunning. The kind of fresh faced beautiful that he didn’t see a lot any more._ _

__He also felt completely comfortable with her, like he could be himself and he hadn’t felt that way in a long time, except when he was with Archie. After he had gotten himself out of the shrub she had shoved him into, while she stood and laughed till she cried, he had to laugh with her and admitted that he had deserved it. He’d surprised himself by throwing his arm around her shoulder and given her a side hug and as they walked back to the store and he hadn’t removed his arm, she hadn’t moved away and he’d noticed her glances at him and he’d tried to act as natural as possible but damn, she smelled good. Like that fancy shampoo she used._ _

__He hoped she knew that he wasn’t going to cross any line and that he was just being goofy but a part of him was serious when he’d said ‘if she ever changed her mind’ because what man in his right mind would turn down an opportunity to get between the sheets with Betty Cooper? He understood though, they were roommates and friends and he’d never want to fuck that up with some quick roll in the hay. But oh my God, he could only imagine what a roll that would be. His phone buzzed, taking him out of his dirty thoughts and he picked it up._ _

___Archie: Hey man, what you doing later? You working?_ _ _

__Jughead: Nope, got the evening off._ _

___Archie: Wanna hit the club?_ _ _

__Jughead: When have I ever wanted to hit the club?_ _

___Archie: Come on man, live a little._ _ _

__Jughead: Alright. When and where?_ _

___Archie: Awesome! 9:00, at Aurora._ _ _

__Jughead put his phone down and let out a sigh. He wasn’t much for clubs; in fact he avoided them at all costs but he figured he owed Archie for moving without telling him. He finished his beer and put his computer down and lay back on the couch to took a nap. He had a feeling it was going to be a long night._ _

__The fact that he slept the entire afternoon away didn’t surprise Jughead. What surprised him was the sound of Betty’s key in the door woke him from a dead sleep as if a horn had gone off. He sat up slowly as she let herself in. She paused and gave him an amused smile when he stretched and yawned._ _

__“You slept all afternoon?” she asked._ _

__“Well, I did say I wanted to do some napping,” he reminded her. And _not_ napping, but he kept that thought to himself. “How was the rest of work?”_ _

__“It was good,” she said. “But I’m sure glad this week is over. It was a long one.” She came over and flopped down on the couch next to him and he tried not to notice that she was basically leaning against him. “You really don’t have a shift tonight?”_ _

__“Nope. Free as a bird,” he smiled, leaning back and causing her to fall against him. “How do you feel about going to a club?” he asked._ _

__“Sounds exhausting,” she admitted._ _

__“Well, have a nap then, because Archie invited me and if I have to go, you have to go,” Jughead informed her. Betty turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow._ _

__“Why do I have to go?”_ _

__“It’s in the roommate bible. Where one goes, the other shall follow.” Jughead explained with a straight face._ _

__“Uh huh,” she smirked. “What else does it say in the roommate bible?”_ _

__“Thou shalt always have chocolate bars and chips in the house.”_ _

__“Hmmmm, that’s interesting. What else?”_ _

__“Thou shalt always give thy roommate a foot rub after a long shift,” Jughead said, a smile playing on his lips._ _

__“Is that right?” Betty asked._ _

__“Yup!” he insisted. Betty shifted on the couch and settled back against the arm rest and lifted her feet into his lap._ _

__“Get to it then,” she said with a giggle. Jughead grinned at how she masterfully turned his game in her favor and dutifully picked up her foot and started to massage. It was small and delicate and his groin twitched at the groan she let out, her head falling back on the arm rest. “Holy shit that feels good. You can stay,” she breathed. He smiled as he slowly massaged her foot and she grabbed the remote and turned on the TV and relaxed into the couch as if this was an every day occurrence._ _

__“So, the club?” he asked after a while._ _

__“Sure, why not. My feet will be in perfect shape for dancing,” she said with an exaggerated wink. Jughead chuckled and kept massaging._ _

__

__They got to the club around 9:30 after stopping at a pizza joint for dinner and while Betty really would have rather stayed at home, she figured she owed him for the amazing foot massage he’d given her and had gotten herself into a cute dress with a short skirt. She had bitten back her smile at the look on Jughead’s face when she came out of the bedroom. And at the way his eyes lingered on her legs as she grabbed her bag._ _

__The place was quite crowded and Jughead had to text Archie to see where he was located and then when he got the reply, his hand settled on her lower back as he helped her through the club towards a booth in the back corner. She got bumped and fell against him and his arm moved around her waist in a more secure hold and they finally reached the table and Archie looked at her in surprise._ _

__“Hey guys,” he said, shifting over to make room. He had a brunette pressed against his side. “Hi Betty, I didn’t realize you were coming.”_ _

__“It’s in the roommate bible,” she said over the music._ _

__“The what?”_ _

__“Nothing,” she giggled and Jughead grinned as he sat in the booth and pulled her down next to him. Archie raised his eyebrows as he observed them and the way Jughead pulled her into his side._ _

__“So, you guys are getting along,” he mentioned, taking a swig of his drink._ _

__“Why wouldn’t we?” she asked and raised her arm and waved over the cocktail waitress she spots. “You want anything?” she asked Jughead, turning to look at him._ _

__“Jack and coke,” he answered, his fingers tugging on her hair. She turned and ordered their drinks and Archie and his latest conquest added their order and the waitress walked off._ _

__“Like, really getting along,” Archie said again, a knowing look in his eyes. His date looked confused._ _

__“Are you two dating?” she asked, wondering what the issue was._ _

__“Roommates,” Jughead and Betty said at the same time. Archie smirked and once again, his date looked confused. Betty looked at the dance floor and turned to Jughead._ _

__“Do you dance?” she asked._ _

__“Hell no,” he laughed, pressing further into the booth._ _

__“I’ll dance,” the brunette said in excitement, clearly bored. “I’m Emily.”_ _

__“Alright, Emily, lets get to it,” Betty smiled and they headed to the dance floor. Jughead watched them, his gaze once again lingering on her legs. Damn, she had great legs. He got a sudden flash of them wrapped around him and let out a frustrated sigh at his thoughts. The waitress came by and dropped off their drinks and he grabbed his and took a swallow._ _

__“So, are you fucking her?” Archie asked bluntly. Jughead lowered his glass and glared at him._ _

__“Seriously?” he snapped._ _

__“Well you two are looking awfully cozy,” he laughed, lifting his beer for a drink._ _

__“I’m not fucking her,” Jughead said with an eyeroll. “I’m not you.”_ _

__“Fuck, ouch. Why you gotta dis me?” Archie said in mock horror._ _

__“We’re roommates, I’m not going to fuck around with her. She doesn’t deserve that,” Jughead muttered. Archie tilted his head and grinned._ _

__“Holy shit, you like her.”_ _

__“Of course I fucking like her. We’re friends.” Jughead ignored Archie’s smirk and turned his head to watch Betty as she danced. The way her hips moved made his stomach clench and he felt like kicking his own ass. Why the hell did she have to be so hot? She must have felt his eyes on her because she turned to look at him and winked, her hips moving in a sensual sway. She was teasing him and he figured he deserved it after his blatant flirting earlier in the day. When she bit her lip and lifted her hands over her head, he swallowed and looked away, his head falling back against the booth seat._ _

__“Fuck,” he sighed, his hand clenching around his glass. He spared her another glance and glared when he saw her laugh. She knew exactly what she was doing to him and he figured he better reign this shit in before one of them did something stupid. When she finished up with dancing, she came back to the booth and dropped in beside him, a happy breathless smile on her face. She took a sip of her drink and leaned into him, lifting her mouth close to his ear._ _

__“Sorry, I couldn’t resist,” she murmured so only he would hear._ _

__“Try harder,” he replied with a low growl. She shrugged and let out a soft laugh and he shook his head and laughed with her, tucking her into his side, his arm around her shoulders._ _

__“So, Betty, what do you do?” Archie asked._ _

__“I work with antiques,” she said with a smile, sipping on the drink in her hand._ _

__“Wow, that’s….interesting….” he said with a blank look. Jughead rolled his eyes as he downed the rest of his drink. Archie wouldn’t know an antique if it bit him in the ass. His date slid against him and whispered something in his ear and he grinned at her and nodded. “Excuse us guys, we’ll be right back.” They left the booth and disappeared into the crowd and Jughead looked at Betty._ _

__“Wanna get out of here?” he asked, tilting his head toward the door._ _

__“Yes, please,” she said quickly and climbed out of the booth. He took her hand and led her through the crowd and out the door. “Home?” she asked._ _

__“Sounds good to me. You wanna walk or call an Uber?” he asked as he searched around the inside of his jacket for something. She let out a laugh when he pulled out a chocolate bar._ _

__“How far is it?” Betty asked. She was wearing flats so walking seemed like a nice option._ _

__“About 8 blocks?”_ _

__“We can walk,” she said and they started up the street. He opened the candy bar and offered her a bite and she bit off the end, savoring the taste on her tongue as he all but devoured the thing. “Why are you always eating?” she asked with a laugh._ _

__“Because I’m always hungry,” he said simply, smiling down at her. A group of rowdy clubbers passed them just then and once again she got shoved into him and she sighed._ _

__“God, can’t people watch where they’re going,” she grumbled, grabbing on to his hand to steady herself. She was moving to let go and he laced his fingers through hers, holding it gently. She let him._ _

__“Can I ask you a question?” he spoke after a few quiet moments._ _

__“Shoot.”_ _

__“When we first met and you went on this little ramble about your family, about some murders and things, what were you talking about?”_ _

__“I was wondering when you were going to bring that up,” she laughed. “You sure you want to know my crazy?”_ _

__“Why not? Maybe it’ll inspire me to write or something,” Jughead chuckled._ _

__“Well, I used to live in Riverdale, small town upstate and as quiet as it was, it was also a little fucked up. There was a pretty big drug trade going on and my uncle, apparently, shot his own son because he wanted no part of the business and when he got found out, he ended up killing himself. While all this was happening, I found out I was related and I inherited a nice chunk of change from the will and as soon as I was able to get the money, I left that place and I don’t ever want to go back.”_ _

__“Wow, that’s….wow,” was all Jughead muttered and she glanced at him. He didn’t look appalled, just surprised._ _

__“And you don’t get along with your mom?” he asked quietly._ _

__“Well, that’s a story for another day,” Betty said with a sigh. Jughead squeezed her hand and she squeezed back and was suddenly so thankful he was in her life. He was slowly becoming a calming support that she didn’t realize she needed. “What about you? What interesting things can you tell me about your life?” she asked._ _

__“Well, that too is a story for another day,” Jughead said with a smile._ _

__“Really? Nothing?” she asked gently, looking up at him. “A small something?”_ _

__“I’ve known Archie my whole life,” he stated._ _

__“God, I’m sorry,” she grimaced. Jughead laughed and dropped her hand and let his arm rest loosely around her shoulder, giving her a small side hug._ _

__“He’s not so bad once you get to know him,” he insisted. She looked up at him and he smiled down at her, his blue eyes twinkling in the street lights._ _

__“You’re a good guy, Jughead,” she said softly._ _

__“I try to be,” he replied._ _

__“How are you still single?” Betty wondered._ _

__“Well, how are you still single?” he returned._ _

__“Because I choose to be,’ Betty said with a shrug. “My last relationship didn’t end so well and I decided I’d just fly solo for a while.”_ _

__“What happened?”_ _

__“He had a few side projects,” she sighed._ _

__“What a fucking idiot,” Jughead said harshly. She smiled and leaned against him as they walked. “How long ago was this?”_ _

__“About a year ago.”_ _

__“A whole year? That’s a long time to fly solo,” he said, a teasing lilt to his voice._ _

__“Shut up,” she laughed, nudging her with her shoulder. He stumbled to the side and she grabbed his arm before he ended up in a shrub again. “What about you? Where’s all your ladies?”_ _

__“All my ladies?” Jughead laughed at that. “I don’t know, I’ve never really had a long relationship,” he said. “Once when I was 20, for about a year, but that’s it. Dated a few others for no longer than half a year usually and there hasn’t been anyone for about 8 months.”_ _

__“Why not? I mean, why haven’t you had long relationships?”_ _

__“I don’t know, I was always a bit of a loner. Girls thought I was weird,” he said with a chuckle. “I much prefer to sit in a corner café or on my couch and write than go out and after a while, girls get bored and move on.”_ _

__“Maybe you just haven’t met the right girl who’ll love everything about you,” she offered._ _

__“Maybe,” he said softly. They didn’t speak anymore until they got home and as soon as they were in the door he hung his jacket up and headed to the fridge. He grabbed a bunch of stuff and started making a sandwich._ _

__“Where the hell do you put all the food you eat?” she asked, hanging up her bag._ _

__“I’m a growing boy,” he grinned as he spread way too much mayo on both pieces of bread. She let her eyes rake over him and she took in his lean muscular build. He wasn’t obnoxiously muscular but just perfectly built to where she almost itched to run her hands over his arms and torso. “You’re staring again,” he said with a smile._ _

__“And you’re eating again, some shit never changes I guess,” she threw back with all the sass she could muster. He popped a pickle in his mouth in return. “You going to bed or do you want to watch a movie?” she asked._ _

__“Movie,” he said around a bite of sandwich. He put his stuff away and settled on the couch and grumbled when she put on Moulin Rouge._ _

__“Shut up, it’s a classic,” she insisted, grabbing a pillow and placing it on his lap. Jughead had no reaction when she lay down and rested her head on his thigh. He finished his sandwich, letting her have a bite when she asked for one, and rested his forearm against her waist, his hand brushing her abdomen. Betty’s hand moved, her fingers lacing with his against her stomach and he touched her hair and smiled._ _


	4. Indulge Me

Betty slowly opened her eyes and was confused as to what woke her. She looked at the time and saw it was 2am and it was very early Sunday morning. A day she normally liked to sleep in. Friday night had been fun with Jughead and the club and then watching a movie. Saturday had been spent doing errands and grocery shopping because Jughead was literally eating them out of house and home and her fridge needed constant restocking. Sunday, was for sleeping ing. She was about to fall back to sleep when her phone buzzed on her bedside table. Obviously that’s what had woken her. She grabbed it and squinted at it.

_Jughead: What are you doing?_

Betty: Well, I was sleeping…

_Jughead: I’m bored_

Betty: Its 2 in the morning, go to sleep

_Jughead: can’t sleep_

Betty: text Archie

_Jughead: he’s busy ;)_

Betty: Eww

_Jughead: come sit with me_

Betty: seriously????

_Jughead: please?_

Betty: you’re not in your bed are you?

_Jughead: why? Would you not come then? ;)_

Betty sent him the eyeroll emoji

_Jughead: I’m on the balcony, lol_

Betty sighed and threw her covers back. Well, she was awake now, so may as well join him. She pulled on her pajama shorts, as she had taken them off because she preferred to sleep in just her panties and pulled on a t-shirt and walked over to the sliding door and pulled it open, stepping out on the balcony. The air had a slight chill but it was welcoming after the unusual heat they had during the day for this time of year. She saw him sitting on the lounge just outside his bedroom door, smoking a cigarette. 

“You smoke?” she asked in surprise as she walked over to him. 

“When I’m bored or stressed,” he shrugged, taking a drag. “I can put it out if it bothers you.”

“It’s okay,” she said, sitting on the edge of his lounge.

“Sorry I woke you,” Jughead said with a smile.

“No you’re not,” she retorted. “If you were sorry, you wouldn’t have woken me.” 

“That’s probably true,” he said with a soft laugh as he finished off his smoke and put the butt in the ashtray he had sitting next to the chair. “What are we doing tomorrow?” Betty studied him and smiled. “What?" he asked.

“It’s cute how you keep saying ‘we’ when making plans. What would you do if you were living with Archie, or on your own?”

“Probably nothing,” Jughead laughed. “Writing or reading most likely. Taking a walk at some point.”

“Reading sounds like a good day,” she said as she suddenly shivered. 

“Cold?” he asked. 

“I’m tired and it’s chilly. That makes for compulsive shivers. Like those annoying full body ones,” she said, wrapping her arms around herself. 

“Come up here, I’ll warm you up,” he said casually, holding out his hand. She looked at him in confusion. “I won’t bite, I swear,” he grinned. She squinted her eyes at him and thought for a moment. 

“You want me to sit in your lap?” she asked with a laugh. “I don’t think that’s friendly roommate behavior, or is that another verse in the roommate bible.”

“Yeah, somewhere in the back,” he chuckled. She shivered again as the breeze curled around her bare legs and he grabbed her hand and tugged her up the lounge and suddenly she was in his lap, his arms wrapped around her. Well, that was much better. He was like a furnace and she couldn’t help but curl up and snuggle against his chest.

“You’re warm,” she murmured, tucking her head under his chin. “And you smell like an ashtray.” She felt the laughter in his chest and he gave her a squeeze. “Not too much though, I can smell the vanilla on you. Stop using my body wash, you have your own.”

“You’re smells better,” he explained. 

“It’s not proper roommate etiquette,” she retorted. “Stop taking my shit.” She smiled into his t-shirt at his laughter. “So, how long are we going to sit out here?”

“Talk to me about something and help me get sleepy,” he said, rubbing his chin on top of her head.

“You want me to bore you to sleep?” she asked, sounding rather disgruntled.

“The subject won’t put me to sleep,” he explained with a laugh. “Your voice is soothing.” 

“I don’t know what to talk about,” she said, feeling suddenly flustered and hyper aware of his body under hers as she leaned against him. He was hard all over. Not in the aroused sense, but his body was definitely fit and she had no idea how he managed that with how much he ate.

“Tell me something nobody else knows,” he suggested.

“You want a deep dark secret?” she laughed. “Do I know you well enough?”

“It doesn’t have to be dark, just something nobody else knows.” Betty thought for a while, chewing on her lip.

“Okay, promise you won’t laugh,” she giggled. 

“Cross my heart…”

“When I was 14 I made out with my mirror to see if I could watch how I’d look kissing a boy,” Betty said with a groan of embarrassment. Jughead had no reaction and she pulled back to look at him and his eyes were filled with laughter and he was biting his lip to keep it from bursting out. “You promised!” she huffed, smacking his chest with her hand. 

“I’m not laughing,” he choked back, pressing his mouth together. She rolled her eyes and settled back against him, shivering again and his hand started to rub her arm while the other settled on her hip.

“I’ll have you know that I’m a great kisser as a result,” she added.

“Well, you’re going to have to prove that,” Jughead teased.

“Keep dreaming,” she shot back. He chuckled and gave her a squeeze. He did that a lot when she said something he liked or when she teased and it was a comforting gesture.

“Do you have any siblings?” he asked.

“I have a sister, Polly. She’s a couple years older and has twins. The boy who got shot by his dad, he’s the father.”

“Wait, I thought you said you were related.”

“Don’t ask,” Betty sighed. “I told you, my family is crazy and you may wanna pack your shit and leave,” she suggested with a laugh. 

“We all have our baggage,” Jughead said softly.

“What kind of baggage do you have?” she asked curiously. 

“Any other siblings?” he asked over her question. He was avoiding, that much was obvious and she decided to leave it for now. 

“A brother, Chic. He’s 10 years old. That was another mess involving my mom and teen pregnancy and not anything I care to get into. I don’t know him that well, to be honest.”

“And your mom? She’s….” Jughead began slowly, once again attempting to start the conversation and she shook her head.

“Not tonight,” Betty whispered. They were quiet a while before he spoke again.

“Favorite food?”

“Pizza, no question.”

“Ahhh, a girl after my own heart,” he sighed happily. “Although I may choose a burger over Pizza, but still, a girl after my own heart.”

“After your stomach, maybe,” she laughed into his chest. His warmth was seeping into her and she found her eyes getting heavy and she couldn’t help but snuggle closer, her hands curled against his chest.

“What’s your favorite book?” he murmured against her hair.

“Beloved, by Toni Morrison,” she said with a smile.

“Ahhh, that’s a good one,” he commented. 

“You read it?” 

“Mhmmm,” his soft voice against her hair was like a warm blanket. “Describe a perfect date.”

“Dinner at a small restaurant that nobody knows, maybe a movie after or a walk along a tree lined street, or maybe coming home and spending the night on the couch watching a movie and chatting,” Betty spoke quietly. Jughead’s hand moved from her hip down her bare thigh and settled on her knee, his thumb making lazy circles. She took his hand and put it back on her hip, or rather, where he was resting against clothing and not scorching her bare skin. He squeezed lightly and she smiled.

“So staying in and snuggling on the couch with a movie is something you’d consider a date?” he asked softly. 

“Mhmmm….”

“How does the date end?” he murmured. When she didn’t answer he shifted slightly so he could look at her face and found her fast asleep, her cheek nestled against his chest. He smiled and kissed her forehead. He figured he should probably wake her and get her back to bed, but that would be rude, right? To just wake her out of a peaceful sleep? No, he’d sit and wait until she was sleeping more soundly and then carry her back to her bed, cause that’s what friends are for.

 

When Betty woke the following morning, she lay in bed staring at the ceiling for a while in confusion. Did she dream sitting with Jughead on the balcony in the middle of the night? In his lap? Did she seriously tell him she had once made out with a mirror? And how the hell did she end up back in bed because the last thing she remembered was describing a perfect date. She sat up and looked at her sliding door.

She had fallen asleep. Obviously. She had fallen asleep on Jughead’s lap and he had carried her to bed. She sighed and fell back on the bed. She was pretty sure they were going way beyond what was proper for roommates but for some reason, it didn’t seem or feel weird. She had no idea why she felt so incredibly comfortable with him, she just did. He was like a cute teddy bear that you wanted to drag around everywhere. She got up and headed to the bathroom and then wandered out into the kitchen. She squinted at the time on the microwave and saw it was 10:30 and there was a pot of coffee ready, which was odd because she figured Jughead would sleep half the day away. She poured herself a cup and saw him outside on the balcony and wandered out there. 

Betty stopped and stared at him for a second, trying really hard not to look like an idiot. He had a coffee in one hand and a cigarette in the other and he was wearing jeans that sat low on his hips and his button up shirt was undone, his torso on full display. Her mouth may have watered. Just a little. She was right. Jughead was extremely fit. Not with bulging muscles but the lines of his chest and abdomen were well defined and the V that disappeared into his jeans made her stare a little too long at the front of his jeans. How the hell this man was unattached was beyond her.

“Good morning,” he said with a smile, his eyes a little too filled with smug laughter as he took a sip of his coffee. The ass knew exactly how he was affecting her.

“Please button your shirt,” she sighed, walking over to him.

“Only if you put on pants,” he shot back. She looked down at her bare legs and bit back a grin. Okay, so she affected him too.

“Still smoking?” she asked, leaning against the railing next to him. 

“I unleashed the beast,” Jughead said with a shrug as he took a drag. “I’ll quit next week.”

“That’s oddly specific,” she commented.

“I usually smoke for a week and then put them away for a while,” he explained.

“That doesn’t make any sense,” Betty laughed.

“Well, it’s either that, or smoke like a chimney.”

“Why not just quit?”

“I will,” he smiled. “Next week.” Betty rolled her eyes and drank some more coffee. The sudden knock sounding through the apartment at the front door surprised them both and they looked at each other. 

“Are you expecting someone?” he asked as snuffed out his smoke and they walked into the living room.

“No, are you?” He shook his head moved to button his shirt as he walked into the kitchen for something to eat. Betty went to the door and looked through the peep hole. She gasped and swung the door open.

“Veronica! What are you doing here?” she exclaimed, grabbing her friend in a giant hug.

“Betty, I need a break from Riverdale and Reggie and all his shit,” she announced in dramatic fashion as she stepped back and then swept into the apartment like she owned it. She stopped short when she saw Jughead standing by the fridge drinking from the orange juice jug. 

“Betty hates when people drink right out of the jug,” she announced, and Jughead lowered the container slowly, swallowing the liquid. He looked at Betty and she gave a shake of her head that clearly said ‘ _ignore her_ ’. He closed the jug and put it back in the fridge while Veronica looked him up and down. “Wow, Betty, you’re right, he is hot.”

“For god’s sake,” Betty muttered with a roll of her eyes. Jughead just smiled and grabbed a bag of bagels and the cream cheese out of the fridge. 

“I’ll leave you ladies to it,” he said as he headed for his room.

“Don’t you want to toast those?” Betty called after him.

“I have a toaster in my room,” he replied.

“You have a……” her voice trailed off in disbelief.

“He has a toaster in his room?” Veronica asked with a laugh. Betty sighed and closed the still open door.

“I actually believe him,” she muttered. She turned to her friend and smiled. “I can’t actually believe you’re here!” she exclaimed. “How long are you staying?”

“I’m not sure,” V sighed as she walked over and sat on the couch. “A few days at least. I just needed a break and mom and dad’s apartment at Lodge towers just got done with the renovations and I figured out come and check it out and visit my bestie while I’m here,” she finished with a smile.

“Well, it’s good to see you,” Betty said happily. 

“So,” Veronica began, her eyes sparkling. “Your new roommate.”

“Jughead.”

“Jughead? Is that his real name?”

“I don’t know, I didn’t ask,” Betty shrugged. 

“He’s seriously cute,” her friend said with an eyebrow wiggle. “Are you guys getting along?”

“Yes, actually,” Betty said softly. “Really well.” Veronica tilted her head and studied her and Betty sighed. “Stop it. We’re friends and that’s it.”

“I get it,” Veronica laughed. “But your voice got all soft when you….” She stopped talking when Jughead suddenly came back to the kitchen.

“Forgot a knife,” he said sheepishly.

“Jughead, is it?” Veronica asked brightly. He turned to look at her.

“Uh, yeah..”

“Come sit,” she insisted, patting the couch next to her. Jughead glanced at Betty and she just rolled her eyes and she figured at the rate her eye rolls were going, they would be rolling over the top of her head soon. He walked over and much to Veronica’s delight, he opted to sit beside Betty instead. “Tell me about yourself,” she said with a smile. 

“Um…what do you want to know?” he asked, rubbing the back of his neck. He seemed nervous and Betty was a little surprised because he never seemed or acted nervous anywhere.

“Where are you from? What do you do?”

“New York, born and raised and I’m a writer,” he answered. Veronica was about to ask another question when there was another knock on the door. 

“Is somebody with you?” Betty asked her and when Veronica shook her head, she headed to the door and looked through the peep hole. She glanced at Jughead and opened the door. Archie Andrews stood grinning as if he was a gift from the universe for all of them.

“What’s up kids? Who wants to go to lunch?” he asked as he walked into the apartment. 

“Well, I would love to,” Veronica said immediately, an interested look on her face as she stood and made her way over to him. “Veronica Lodge,” she said with an excited lilt in her voice. Jughead looked at Betty, his eyebrows raised and she lifted her hands in confusion.

“Archie Andrews,” he replied with a grin that was a little too excited as well. He turned to look at Betty and Jughead. “Well, how about it? Lunch?”

“Are you buying?” Jughead asked. 

“Sure, why not,” Archie shrugged. 

“Okay, I just need to change,” Betty muttered and headed to her bedroom. Veronica followed and soon they were behind the closed door.

“Oh my god, who’s the ginger?” she asked with a grin. Betty furrowed her brow as she looked at her while she dug out a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

“Veronica, he’s kind of a player and I’m pretty sure you’re not over Reggie.”

“Honey, I’m taking a break from Reggie and there’s no harm in flirting and looking, is there?” she asked with a knowing look on her face. Betty said nothing as she got dressed and pulled a comb through her hair and put it up in a messy bun. “That’s an interesting silence,” Veronica commented. Betty looked at her in the mirror and glared.

“Just stop,” she sighed. “Jughead is my roommate and yes, I am crushing on him a little but honestly we’re really comfortable with each other and really good friends and I’m not about to fuck that up by being stupid, so that’s that.”

“Oh Betty honey,” Veronica said with a smile as she walked over and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. “Sometimes, being stupid is exactly what a girl needs.”

“Let’s go to lunch,” Betty suggested, grabbing her bag and heading back to the living room. 

Jughead was leaning against the island, eating his bagel and she couldn’t help but grin when she saw the cream cheese on the corner of his mouth. Without even thinking she swept her thumb across it, cleaning it off and sucking her thumb clean. She froze at the surprised look on his face and she turned beet red, praying to God that Archie and Veronica hadn’t seen. They were busy acting like they weren’t interested in each other and she was grateful they hadn’t been watching.

“Thank you,” Jughead said, his voice low so only she could hear. She smiled at him and gave his arm a squeeze.

“Let’s call it a thank you for you carrying me back to bed last night,” she said in a whisper and he grinned at her.

“I almost climbed in with you,” he teased.

“Stop it,” she giggled and then pressed her lips together and turned and found Archie and Veronica watching them with smirks on their faces. She ignored them and headed for the door. “Where are we going?” she asked. 

The guys picked a café down the street that had outdoor tables, similar to the one near her work and they ordered their food and drinks and settled back in their seats. It was a round table and Jughead had moved his chair close to hers and she thought nothing of it until she found Veronica hiding a smile. Betty figured she better put a stop to all the craziness before it got worse.

“Okay, Veronica, you need….” She lost her train of thought when she felt Jughead’s hand settle on her thigh and giving it a slight squeeze. Veronica looked at her, waiting to hear the rest and Betty was thankful that the table had a cloth over it that hid Jughead’s hand on her leg. “You need to try the Citrus Iced Tea once you’re done with your drink, it’s really amazing,” she finished quickly, showing it to her on the menu. 

“I’ll do that,” Veronica said and then turned her attention to Archie again. Betty turned to look at Jughead and he leaned closer to her.

“It’s okay, Betts, it doesn’t bother me that they think there’s something going on, we’re good,” he said, leaning close to her ear. 

“Betts?” she asked with a smile. He shrugged with his cute little smile and she placed her hand on top of his. “Okay, thank you.” He winked and squeezed her leg again. Their food came and Veronica was getting steadily more flirtatious with Archie and Betty was beginning to worry. Her and Jughead flirting was one thing because neither of them were attached and it was all in good fun, but Veronica, who had been in love with Reggie for years, and now on a break, seemed determined to get over him in a single day by climbing Archie.

“You okay?” Jughead asked softly against her ear. Betty let out a small sigh and shook her head. 

“She’s vulnerable right now,” she said in a whisper behind her hand. She knew neither Veronica or Archie was paying any attention to them but she really didn’t want them to overhear. “I don’t want her doing anything stupid.”

“I’ll take care of it,” he said softly. She sat back and looked at him curiously. “Hey Arch, come find the bathroom with me,” Jughead said, standing up.

“What the fuck dude,” Archie said with a laugh.

“Humor me,” Jughead grinned, pulling his friend up and walking away from the table with him.

“That was weird,” Veronica said.

“That’s Jughead,” Betty said dramatically. “A total weirdo.” She hid her smile behind her drink and suddenly wanted to hug him for being wonderful.

 

Jughead found the washroom and saw it was a single and had to keep from laughing at the surprised look on Archie’s face when he pulled him into the small room and closed and locked the door.

“Dude, you’re being weird as fuck right now,” Archie said harshly. “Why are we in here?”

“You can’t sleep with her,” Jughead said bluntly. 

“You dragged me in here to tell me not to sleep with Veronica?” 

“Yes and don’t act like you’re not aiming for it. Betty said she’s taking a break from a long term relationship and she’s in no condition to be fucking around right now, so please don’t do it,” Jughead explained. Archie crossed his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow.

“Are you being serious right now?”

“As a heart attack.”

“Isn’t that Veronica’s problem to worry about?” Archie asked.

“Dude, it would upset Betty and she knows her friend better than anyone, so just don’t.”

“So, this is about Betty,” Archie smiled.

“Well of course it’s about Betty. I don’t want her upset. I don’t know Veronica and I really don’t care what she does, but my roommate is a different story.” Archie burst out laughing and Jughead sighed and ran a hand through his hair. 

“I swear, you and Betty are the best show I’ve watched in years,” Archie said as he laughed and then proceeded to leave the washroom. Jughead sighed and followed him. He just hoped his idiot friend would leave the woman alone.

By mid afternoon, they were back at the apartment and Veronica was mentioning she had to be at her parents apartment in an hour and Archie was offering her a ride. Jughead had no idea how he was going to manage that because as far as he knew, Archie had no car and used Uber and the subway like all the moles in New York. She happily accepted and after saying goodbye to Betty and promising to come over in a couple days and to have dinner, and somehow, Archie got invited as well and then they were out the door. Betty stood and stared at it for a while and turned to Jughead, completely worried.

“They’re going to sleep together, aren’t they?” she asked, chewing her lip. Jughead walked over to the couch and flopped down on it, grabbing the remote and trying to find something to watch.

“I asked him not to, but in the end, they’re adults Betty, I don’t think what we say will make much difference if they really want to.” Betty was still annoyed and she came over and sat down beside him and leaned toward him and his arm automatically came around her shoulder, pulling her into his side.

“If they do it, I’m blaming you,” she grumbled. He looked at her and started laughing.

“Why the hell would you blame me?”

“Because you need to keep your friends dick in his pants,” she insisted.

“Honey,” Jughead sighed. “I love Archie, he’s been my best friend my entire life, but I’m not touching his dick.” Betty started to giggle and he put her in a playful headlock before tickling her until she was laughing out loud. She ended up plastered against his side, her leg thrown over his and wiping her eyes.

“What are we watching?” she asked after a while.

“Crazy Stupid Love,” he replied. She looked at him and after the afternoon they just had, she found this hilarious and exploded in a flurry of giggles again and he grinned as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a chocolate bar and then she laughed even harder.

 

“Jughead? Are you home?” Betty asked as she picked up clothes laying around her bedroom. She thought she had heard the door open but wasn’t sure. 

“Yeah, what’s up?” he asked, suddenly appearing. She jumped in surprise and he laughed and came and sat on her bed. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.”

“You home early today? Or no shift?”

“Early. It was slow so I cut out. Was just about to head for the shower, you need something?” he asked.

“I was just wondering if I heard you come in and turns out, I did,” she explained. He got up again and threw her a shirt he found on the bed.

“Alrighty, gonna hit the shower. Order me a pizza,” he called back as he left the room. 

“Order your own bloody pizza,” she grumbled back. He’d been living with her for over a month now and their dynamic was perfect. He was an enormous flirt still and sometimes she wondered if the shit they did was normal for friends, but they were so relaxed and at ease with each other, nothing seemed to phase them when they were around each other. When he flirted, she giggled and blushed and when she flirted, he gave her a look that made her think he wanted to carry her to the bedroom. Somehow, they never crossed the line to anything that resembled _too far_. They hung out all the time, visiting each other’s work, watching movies, going to the movies, hell, they even snuggled on the couch as if that was completely normal roommate behavior. In their little world it was and she loved having him around.

She heard him come out of the shower about 15 minutes later and return to his room and she found his t-shirt on the chair next to her bed. She had slept in it the other day because he’d left it laying in the bathroom and it had smelled good and that was totally normal, right? She grabbed it and went to return it.

“Hey Jug, here’s your tee……….oh shit, sorry,” she exclaimed when she pushed the door open. There stood Jughead, completely and deliciously nude. He grabbed his towel and held it over his lower half and she covered her eyes and started to close the door. “I’m so sorry, oh my god!” she exclaimed. She was about to close the door when she slowly pushed it open again. He raised an eye brow and a smile twitched on his lips. “Just…..wow, nice,” she breathed, motioning to his body with her hand and then, red faced, she quickly closed the door. Betty escaped to her room and closed the door, leaning against it and taking deep breathes. 

“Oh my god,” she breathed, holding a hand to her chest. She saw Jughead naked. And holy mother of God, he was hot. Well, she had known he was hot and had seen him shirtless on a few occasions now, but she’d never…..wow, he had been naked. Her hand went to her forehead and she took a deep breath. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. Jughead Jones was well above average. In every single way. A soft knock on her door made her jump and she sighed. Turning, she slowly opened it and looked at him. Of course he hadn’t put a shirt on.

“Are you okay?” he asked with a soft smile.

“No, I mean, yes,” Betty stuttered. “I was just not…well I thought you’d be dressed,” she said sheepishly. “I’m sorry for barging in.”

“It’s fine Betty, I’m usually dressed but today I wasn’t.”

“Well, you should know, you have nothing to be ashamed of. Like at all. Ever,” she insisted with a blush. 

“Oh yeah?” he teased, his eyes filled with mirth. “What was your favorite part?”

“You’re seriously so annoying,” she said laughing, even though she loved how he made her forget her embarrassment. 

“Well, maybe we should even things out, kind of a _I’ll show you mine if you show me yours_ deal,” he suggested with an eyebrow wiggle. 

“In your dreams, Jones,” she said and closed the door in his face.

 

A few hours later, they were sprawled on the couch watching a movie, Betty in one corner and Jughead in the next. He had been writing for an hour and then put it away to watch with her. Betty didn’t remember what the movie was called but when the two main characters started kissing like their life depended on it, she let out a long sigh.

“You know how long it’s been since I’ve had a really good kiss?” she moped.

“How long?” Jughead asked, tilting his head and studying the scene on the TV.

“Too fucking long. Like probably a year and a half,” Betty replied. He turned to look at her.

“Didn’t you break up with your ex a year ago?” he asked in confusion.

“Yeah…”

“And you haven’t had a good kiss in a year and a half?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Yeah, well, like I said, he had side projects and I didn’t get much attention the last few months.”

“Well, that sucks,” Jughead muttered.

“Now, thanks to this movie, all I’m thinking about is a really good deep kiss that I can just sink into,” Betty sighed.

“Well, at the bar the other day, that guy looked like he wanted to kiss you,” Jughead laughed. 

“Yeah and your glare sent him running,” Betty reminded him. “That’s not the kind of kiss I want. Not some sloppy kiss at a bar, or a drunken make out. I don’t want a guy, I don’t want to have sex, I just want a really freaking good kiss.”

“Well, if you insist,” Jughead said with a grin. “Come here.” Betty looked at him and laughed.

“What?”

“Well, you don’t want a guy to date, you don’t want to have sex, you just want a really good kiss and since you don’t want some random weird kiss, why not let your roommate and super great friend give you one,” he smiled.

“No, it’s too weird,” she insisted, blushing at the thought.

“Why? I swear I won’t try anything funny, I’m not going to attempt to seduce you or carry you to the bedroom. Scouts honor, just a good kiss,” Jughead proposed. She chewed her lip and studied him. It’s not like she hadn’t wondered what kissing him would be like. If she was going to be honest, she wondered all the damn time. 

“You don’t think it will be weird?” she asked.

“Only if you make it weird.” She thought about it some more and rational thought gave way to her desire to just have an amazing kiss and why not with her amazing roommate who was hot and wouldn’t try and take more than she was willing to give.

“You promise you won’t tease me about it after?” she asked.

“Why would I tease you? We’re adults, we can share a kiss without being idiots about it. You don’t have to go find some random dude and we’re safe at home, perfect situation if you ask me,” he laughed.

“Are you sure you’re just not wanting to make out with me? Is this because I saw you naked and you’re hoping you’ll see me naked?” she wondered with a laugh.

“Well, I’m not going to lie, I’ll probably really enjoy it,” he admitted with a grin. Betty rolled her eyes and thought a few more minutes. 

“Okay, but you better behave after,” she said with a frown. Jughead winked and grabbed a cushion and placed it on his lap. 

“Okay, hop on,” he ordered. Betty looked confused.

“Why are you putting a pillow in your lap?” she asked.

“Well,” Jughead sighed. “I understand we’re friends and this is just indulging in your desire for a kiss, but you happen to be really beautiful and I’ll dare say sexy and while I know we’re friends, my body may not understand.” Betty bit back a smile. She tried really hard to not focus on the fact that he thought she was beautiful and sexy.

“Are you saying you’re probably going to get aroused?”

“Yes,” he said with a shrug. “I haven’t had a kiss in months either, certain things may get excited,” he chuckled. “But that doesn’t mean I’m going to want to sleep with you.”

“You won’t?” Betty asked with a smile unsure if she should be insulted or thankful.

“Well, yes, but I won’t try,” he explained. Betty could see he was getting flustered and she had to hold back her giggle. She sat up and moved closer and grabbed the pillow and threw it on the coffee table. 

“We’re adults, Jug. If your body reacts, I’m pretty sure I’ll be fine. But I am curious as to why you want me in your lap.” Jughead took her hand and pulled her gently and she moved with him and soon found herself straddling his lap, her face heating up and her heart racing and trying hard to not notice how he felt beneath her. Her hands settled on his chest and she curled her fingers gently.

“Because that’s the place you have to be to really sink into a kiss,” he explained, his hands settling on her waist. She let out a small breath as he pulled her a little closer and he smiled softly. “Don’t be nervous, I’ve been told I’m pretty good at this. You ready?” His question was so absurd that she dissolved against him in a fit of giggles. Jughead wrapped his arms around her and laughed as he hugged her. She just rested against him for a moment, gathering her wits about her and she had a feeling she was about to lose them. 

Betty pulled back and looked at him and promptly got lost in his blue eyes. Jesus, this man was beautiful and if he wanted to indulge her by giving her a kiss, well dammit, she was going to let him. 

“Are there any rules I need to follow?” he asked, his eyes dropping to her mouth as she wet her lip.

“Rules?” 

“Like, where can my hands go and can I use tongue?” he asked, leaning in and brushing his nose along the side of hers. She felt his breath on her lips an her fingers curled into his chest. 

“No hands under the shirt and good kisses always include tongue,” she whispered when his mouth brushed hers. His hands came up and rested on the sides of her neck, his thumb brushing over her cheek and his eyes caught hers once more before he tugged her close and pressed his lips to hers. They were soft and warm and he gave her a few soft kisses before settling his mouth more firmly against hers. One of his hands moved down and his arm curled around her waist and he pulled her closer as his mouth moved slowly over hers. He tasted good. Like the shot of whiskey he had had earlier and a faint taste of tobacco. 

Betty shifted closer and kissed him back, her hands moving up and curling around the back of his neck, sliding into the hair at the nape and she liked how soft and silky it felt. His own hand slid into her hair and while the kiss was nice and sweet, she suddenly ached for more. He pulled back slightly, his breathing hitched against her lips, his eyes searching hers, as if looking for something. She curled her fingers in his hair and leaned in again and after a moment of tentative hesitation, Jughead angled her head and took her mouth again, the kiss steadily getting deeper, heavier. Her body started to buzz and she eagerly returned his kiss, shifting even closer and a slow heat started to move through her body and then it happened. She melted against him and sank into the kiss and he noticed the shift immediately and his fingers clenched in her hair and he moved against her and Betty let out a little gasp at the sudden change and when his tongue flicked against her lips, they fell open as if they had a mind of their own and then his tongue was sliding against hers. 

Of all the kissing she had ever done, Betty had never had someone kiss her so thoroughly, like he had been starving for her, his mouth hungry and needy and she couldn’t help the whimper that escaped her as she pressed closer, her arms sliding around his neck, pressing herself flush against him. She kissed him back eagerly, the wet slide of his tongue making her shudder against him. After a few heavy moments, the kiss eased slightly and she gasped against his mouth, trying to catch her breath as he pressed light soft kisses against her lips, his teeth catching and tugging her bottom lip lightly.

Betty tried not to notice how intimately she was pressed against him, the ache between her legs that she simply couldn’t help, pressed against him and she realized his body was indeed responding to the kiss. His hands were on her hips, holding her against him and it took a tremendous amount of concentration to not move her hips and ease the ache she felt.

“How was that?” he whispered against her mouth, sounding completely out of breath. She pulled back and looked at him and couldn’t help but notice the heat, how his eyes darkened, how they kept moving back to her mouth. 

“That was…” she stopped talking when she noticed how hoarse her voice was, the sound causing his eyes to darken a little more and she honestly couldn’t’ help herself. Betty kissed him again. Since the initial kiss to indulge her urge was technically finished, she decided she may as well go all in and throwing caution to the wind, Betty grasped his face in her hands and kissed him like she was drowning and he was air. He groaned and the sound made the ache between her legs intensify and she instinctively pressed against him, feeling his body react instantly and his arousal pressed back against her heat and she moved, rolling her hips, needing friction to ease the lust that went ripping through her veins. His hand gripped her waist and the other grasped her neck, holding her still as he angled his head and all but devoured her mouth as he rolled his hips against hers. 

It was all consuming, tongues tangling, hands fisting in hair, gasping breath and she couldn’t seem to get enough, grinding down against him, needing to feel him against her core. When he grasped her hips and dragged her against him, it seemed to dawn on him what they were doing and somehow he managed to get his wits about him and realize they were heading for dangerous territory. He gave a soft growl against her mouth and pulled back, his hands settling on her hips and holding her still.

“Shit, Betty,” he gasped against her neck and she went still, she felt his lips press a soft kiss against her skin and she let out a small moan, trying to reign in her hormones. “I think…..” he started, pulling back to look at her and she rested her forehead against his, taking deep steadying breathes. “I think that was pretty good, yeah?” he whispered. She nodded, unable to find her voice. 

“Thank you,” she finally managed and he smiled and for good measure gave her another soft gentle kiss that she found she wanted to go on and on. “Honestly, did all these women who left you ever kiss you?” she blurted out.

“On occasion,” he chuckled. They sat for a couple of minutes, foreheads pressed together, breath mingling between them and she felt his hands gripping her waist. “You should go to your room, or I should go, but one of us needs to leave this couch,” he said hoarsely. She pulled back and looked at him, the question on her face. She knew why he said it when she saw the look on his face. He wanted more than a kiss and frankly, so did she. She nodded and slowly pulled her arms back that were still wrapped around his shoulders and moved off his lap. 

“I’m….i’m kind of tired anyway,” she whispered. “Thank you for doing that,” she added with a soft smile and then hurried to her room, closing the door and leaning against it. Her heart was pounding so hard, she was afraid it would come out of her chest. “Oh my god,” she groaned, her head falling back on the door, her hand coming up to touch her mouth. God, could he kiss. Now she just wanted more and that was not a good thing. Or was it? She sighed and walked over to the bed and fell across it. They were idiots, that was all there was to it and she really hoped they hadn’t just made everything messy.

 

Jughead sat on the couch, trying to get his body to calm the hell down. He leaned his head back on the edge and let out a groan and shifted to ease the discomfort of his unusually tight jeans. He had no idea what can of worms they had just opened, all he knew was that he wanted to kiss her again. And again. He probably wasn’t going to forget the way she tasted for the rest of his life. 

Friends. She had become one of his best friends in such a short amount of time and they had rules and why he thought it would be okay to indulge her wish was beyond him. He was flirting with the line they didn’t want to cross and he hoped they hadn’t just fallen over it and messed everything up. Jughead sighed and ran his hands through his hair. His frustration whispered out of his lips and fell on the quiet room.

“Fuck.”


	5. Safe Place

Jughead was up early the next morning, making breakfast in the kitchen. He hadn’t slept well and it wasn’t the kiss, which had been amazing and he wanted more if he was going to be honest, in fact, he wanted more than kisses, but he was worried things were going to be weird. He didn’t want to lose the closeness he had with Betty. They were so at ease with each other and everything was so comfortable and they could say and do almost anything within reason and it wasn’t weird and now he was scared they may have fucked it up.

He liked her a lot and sometimes he wondered if there was more to their connection than just friendship but he tried not to think about it and not question it and just went with it. If it went deeper or if she wanted more, he wouldn’t be against it because he’d never gotten along with a girl the way he did with her, not even girls he’d dated. Betty was so refreshingly open and honest and he loved that he didn’t have to pretend with her or try to figure out what she was thinking. If she didn’t actually say what she was thinking, he could read it in her face, that’s how close they were.

On the other hand, if she wanted to stay single and just be friends, he was fine with that too and he wasn’t ever going to do anything that would screw that up because her friendship had come to mean the world to him and he didn’t want to lose her in any regard. 

A while later, he heard her leave her bedroom and lock herself in the bathroom to shower and get ready for work. When she came into the kitchen, he could see the look of apprehension on her face. She looked beautiful and while before he would have told her, this time he refrained.

“Why are you up so early?” she asked, shifting nervously as she sat on a stool at the island. He could tell she was afraid to be herself and he wanted to kick something.

“I have a meeting this morning with one of the magazines I write for,” Jughead said, pouring her a cup of coffee and setting it down in front of her. She nodded quietly and stared down at the steaming liquid. Jughead sighed and walked around the island. He wasn’t going to let this be weird. He gently grasped her shoulders and gave her a squeeze and leaned down.

“We’re good, Betts, it’s okay,” he whispered against her ear and he felt her relax and she leaned back against him. He wrapped his arms around her and laced his fingers through hers.

“I was scared it would be weird now,” she confessed with a shaky sigh.

“Nope, same as always,” he smiled against her temple. “I’ll still annoy you and flirt until you blush,” he teased. She laughed and turned her head to look at him.

“Well now I might just blush even harder because I know how you kiss,” she said with a smile.

“It wouldn’t be a burden to indulge you again,” he murmured teasingly and he grinned when she blushed right on cue. “You hungry?” he asked after he placed a light kiss on her temple and straightening up. 

“Yeah, I am,” she smiled. He set some bacon and eggs in front of her and helped himself to a plate as well and sat down next to her. “Thank you, Jug,” she said softly, gazing at him. He winked and dug into his food.

 

Two nights later, Archie and Veronica were once again in their apartment, enjoying a dinner Betty made of roast chicken and all the fixings. Betty was relieved to hear from her friend that she hadn’t slept with Archie, but they had gone on a date of sorts. Things with her and Jughead had literally gone right back to normal and she was so grateful. Well, not completely normal because now she had moments where she just wanted to grab him and kiss him but she managed to refrain and he seemed almost softer with her. His looks gentle and sweet, his touches lingering and now she was getting forehead and temple kisses.

“So, V, how much longer are you staying in New York?” Betty asked, leaning back in her seat and taking a sip of her glass of wine. Jughead had his arm across the back of her chair as he chose to sit beside her and while it looked like it was just resting across the back, his thumb started stroking her shoulder blade, hidden from view from the other two. Betty worked hard to not shiver at his touch.

“I’m not sure,” the raven haired woman said with a smile. “I was going to stay a few days but maybe I’ll stay a couple of weeks.”

“Well, that’d be nice,” Archie said with a grin and a wink and Betty was astonished when Veronica blushed. Veronica Lodge never blushed.

“You have nothing in Riverdale that needs your attention?” Betty asked coyly, her eyes on her friend. Veronica glared at her and picked up her drink.

“No, I don’t,” she insisted.

“If you stay the week, we should go to the club this Friday,” Archie suggested around a mouthful of chicken.

“Oh that sounds so fun,” Veronica exclaimed. “Which one?” 

“Well, we like Aurora,” Archie explained. “Right, Jughead?”

“Oh, yeah, sure,” Jughead said with a shrug. Betty kicked him under the table. “I think I’m working though,” he said quickly.

“Well, maybe me and Veronica will just go,” Archie said.

“Well, I wanted to go shopping with V,” Betty interjected quickly and ignored the glares her friend was showing her.

“Knock it off Betty,” she said with a sigh. Archie looked between them.

“Am I missing something?” he asked. Jughead rolled his eyes at his friend idiocy.

“Remember our talk in the bathroom on Sunday?” he asked.

“Oh yes, where you told Archie not to fuck me,” Veronica offered and Betty promptly choked on her wine.

“What the fuck man,” Jughead snapped. “You told her?”

“Yes, he told me because it isn’t any of your business,” Veronica said sweetly.

“V!” Betty snapped. “He only told him that because I asked him to.”

“It’s not your business either,” the other woman snapped back. 

“Okay, maybe we should….” Archie started, looking a little nervous.

“You haven’t dumped Reggie, you’re only on a break!” Betty said, talking over Archie.

“Well, I’m getting tired of his shit and I’m taking a break.”

“What shit are you tried of?” Betty asked.

“Him and his fucking bikes,” Veronica fumed. “He loves them more than me, I swear to God!”

“You once told me that’s what you loved about him. Him and his Harley’s.” As they argued back and forth there was a sudden knock at the door. Betty and Jughead looked at each other in confusion.

“Well, who the hell is that?” Jughead asked. Betty shrugged and got up and went to look through the hole. She raised an eyebrow and opened the door. 

“Oh my god, Betty, im sorry to barge in, but you have to help me,” Ginny exclaimed, hurrying into the apartment. She stopped short when she saw everyone around the table. “Oh wow, I’m so sorry,” she said with a grimace. She whirled around and faced Betty again. “I should have called and I’m sorry, but I didn’t know where else to go,” she sighed. Betty closed the door and walked over to her friend.

“What’s wrong Ginny,” she asked gently.

“My boyfriend threw me out,” she yelled. “Well, okay he didn’t throw me out but he told me if I didn’t want to get married then I could just leave because he was tired of waiting and I don’t know if I want to get married. Why can’t things just stay the same?” she blurted and promptly burst into tears. Betty sighed and wrapped her arms around the girl and gave her a hug.

“Ginny, I didn’t even know you had a boyfriend. Weren’t you saying you wanted to ask Jughead out last month?” Betty asked in confusion. Jughead raised his eyebrows at that and Archie looked at him with a grin.

“I was only kidding and teasing you because I know how hot you were for him,” Ginny sobbed loud enough for the world to hear. Veronica started to giggle and Jughead sat back and smirked. Betty blushed and managed to get out an eyeroll.

“Well, how long have you been with him and how the hell did I not know you have a boyfriend?”

“Well, it’s only been 4 months,” Ginny sobbed. Betty stepped back in surprise.

“And he proposed?”

“Yes and I don’t know what to do,” Ginny wailed. While she carried one, there was yet another knock at the door.

“Okay, what the hell? Is that your boyfriend?” Betty asked. Ginny stepped back in confusion. 

“No, he doesn’t know you or where you live and I’ve been driving around for a few hours.”

“I’ll get it,” Jughead said, getting up and walking to the door. He opened it and looked in confusion at the man. 

“Who the hell are you and where is Veronica?” Reggie barked as he glared into the apartment.

“Oh for God’s sake,” Veronica muttered.

“Hi Reggie,” Betty said with a sigh. Reggie walked in and glared at his girlfriend. Jughead seemed unsure and stepped into the kitchen and leaned against the counter, ankles crossed and arms folded over his chest and just watched all the commotion.

“Reggie, what are you doing here?” Veronica asked angrily.

“I came to bring you home,” he snapped. Archie pushed his chair back and stood up.

“Maybe she doesn’t want to go home,” he said. Reggie turned to glare at him.

“Who the fuck are you?” he asked.

“Archie Andrews and you must be the idiot boyfriend.”

“Excuse me?” Reggie growled, clenching his fists and stepping toward him. Jughead moved then and walked over to Archie and pulled him into the sitting area.

“This is not your business,” he sighed. “Let them work it out.”

“Yeah but….”

“Shut up Archie,” Jughead growled. The red head closed his mouth and stayed quiet. Betty looked at the chaos around her and sighed. 

“Okay, everyone just shut up. V and Reggie, take your fight outside on the balcony because nobody needs to hear your crap.”

“I don’t want to talk to him,” Veronica said angrily. 

“He came all the way from Riverdale, you’re going to give him a few minutes,” Betty insisted, pointing to the balcony. Veronica glared at her and turned and marched over to the sliding doors with Reggie at her heels. Betty turned and smiled gently at Ginny.

“Honey, I’m sorry this isn’t a good time but I do have some advice for you. Unless you’re 100% sure this is the guy for you, do not marry him. In fact, even if you are, you tell him you’re waiting anyway and if he loves you enough to propose such a ridiculously short amount of time after meeting, then he can wait. You can stay here tonight if you want, but you have to sleep on the couch because I don’t have an extra bed,” she said. Ginny sighed and wiped her face.

“I have a place, I don’t need to stay here and I do love him, I’m just not ready to get married.”

“Then go and tell him that and if he doesn’t listen, then leave and don’t go back.” 

“Okay,” the girl said with a nod and gave Betty a hug. “Thank you and I’m sorry for disturbing you.”

“It’s okay and we’ll talk about this all tomorrow at work,” Betty promised. Ginny smiled and hugged her one more time and left the apartment. Betty turned to look at Jughead and Archie. 

“Archie,” she sighed. “Go home.”

“What the fuck,” he sputtered. “We’re still eating dinner.” Betty walked over to the table and grabbed the platter with the chicken and walked over and handed it to him. 

“Return the platter when you’re done,” she said sweetly and Archie glared at her and Jughead covered his mouth with his hand to hide the fact that he was about to burst out laughing. Archie walked over to the table and grabbed the dish of roast potatoes as well and left with them and his chicken. 

Betty looked out at the balcony and Veronica and Reggie were involved in what looked like a pretty heated discussion and she let out a long sigh. Hopefully, once and for all, they would decide what they wanted. Jughead came over to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder and gave her a squeeze.

“You alright?” he asked softly. Betty wrapped her arms around him and gave him a squeeze back.

“Thank you for being a sweetheart,” she said into his shirt.

“How was I being a sweetheart?” he asked with a chuckle, his arms coming around her.

“Because you’re the only one who didn’t make a ruckus,” she replied. The sliding door suddenly opened and Veronica and Reggie came back in. Betty dropped her arms and turned around but she didn’t move away from Jughead who kept his arm wrapped around the front of her shoulders, holding her to him.

“We’re going back to my place but tell Archie we’re still on for the club on Friday,” Veronica said in a huff. 

“I’ll be there too!” Reggie snapped angrily. He paused then and looked at them curiously. “Are you guys dating?” he asked, taking in how they were standing.

“Roommates,” they once again spoke at the same time. Reggie raised an eyebrow and looked at Veronica.

“Don’t even bother,” she sighed. “They live in their own weird world where they think that shit is normal.” Betty and Jughead said nothing and the couple left with Reggie muttering that he’d never seen roommates that looked like a couple if they weren’t a couple. The door closed behind them and then it was quiet.

“Betty?”

“Jug?”

“Since I booked the night off, how about we clean up what’s left of dinner, order a pizza and watch a movie,” he said against her ear, still holding her too him.

“I like that idea,” she smiled. He kissed her temple and she shivered lightly and they went to clear the table.

 

When Jughead came home from work the following night, Betty was already in bed, as he expected her to be and he dropped his things and went to the fridge to see what amazing left overs she had for him. Surprisingly, there wasn’t any and he thought that was strange because usually if she didn’t have any, she sent him a text and he picked something up. He settled on a sandwich and when he was done eating, hopped in the shower to wash the bar off. He pulled on his pajama pants and was heading to his room when he heard a pained moan from Betty’s room. He paused outside her door and listened and heard it again.

“Betty?” he called softly through the door.

“Yeah?” she answered in a whimper. 

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she replied but he heard the pain in her voice and decided to ignore her and he gently pushed the door open. She was curled up on her bad, facing the balcony, her arms wrapped around her middle. He walked over and sat on the edge of the bed.

“You’re not fine,” he said. “What’s wrong? Did you hurt yourself?” She shook her head. “Tell me,” he urged.

“I get really horrible cramps and nothing helps,” Betty whimpered, hugging her middle tighter.

“Oh,” Jughead said softly, suddenly unsure of what to do. “There isn’t anything that helps? Pain killers? A hot bath or something?”

“I’ve tried all that,” she said with a disgruntled sigh. 

“How about a back rub? Back when I was little, whenever my mom had….that….my dad would sometimes give her a back rub and she always said it helped,” Jughead explained, sounding quite flustered.

“Okay,” she said in a quiet whimper. Jughead lay down behind her and braced on his elbow, putting his hand on her back. “Lower back,” she whispered and he moved his hand down and slowly started to rub the tense muscles. After a couple of minutes he lay back and rested his head on his folded arm while he kept rubbing her back. The whimper she let out after a while was one of relief and not pain. He smiled and kept rubbing, trying not to notice how soft her skin was where it was riding up and his fingers kept touching.

“You doing better?” he asked against the back of her head.

“Yeah, don’t stop,” she sighed, shifting so she lay on her stomach. “You can move my shirt if you want.” If she thought he moved it aside a little too eagerly, she didn’t comment. Jughead rubbed her lower back slowly, trying to breathe steady as he soothed his hand over her skin. That kiss they had shared had made him hyper aware of her in every way and he really just wanted to flip her over and kiss her again.

“Tell me more about your family,” she asked softly as she let out a content sigh.

“Not that much to tell,” he said hesitantly. “Grew up in Brooklyn, my dad drank a lot and my mom didn’t stick around past my 15 birthday. She took my sister and moved to Ohio and left me with my dad.” She didn’t say anything for a minute, as if she was waiting to see if he would say more.

“You don’t like to talk about it?” she asked. “What happened after she left?”

“You’re right,” he said with a sigh. “I don’t like to talk about it.” He started rubbing up and down her back, still concentrating on the lower back and she sighed into the pillow. “Do you want to talk about your mom?” he asked quietly.

“No,” she huffed and he bit back a chuckle. She sounded so annoyed and he wasn’t sure if it was because he dared to ask after not answering her question, or if her mother just annoyed her that much. He continued to rub her back in silence and after a while she turned onto her side again and shifted back against him and reached back and took his hand and pulled it around her front. He curled his arm more tightly around her waist and pulled her against him, inhaling the vanilla scent that wafted off her that he loved so much. 

“Your cramps better?” he asked softly.

“Yes, thank you for the back rub,” she breathed out, wiggling closer to him. Jughead gritted his teeth and hoped to high heaven that his body behaved.

“You’re welcome,” he murmured against her hair. “I guess I should go back to my room now.”

“Stay till I’m sleeping,” she whispered, clutching his hand tighter. 

“Okay,” he whispered back, hugging her closer. He couldn’t help himself and he pressed a soft kiss on the skin just below her ear. He smiled when he felt her shiver and did it again.

“Jug?”

“Hmmm?”

“That feels wonderful, but cut it out or I’ll kick you out of my bed,” she grumbled. Jughead laughed against her hair and gave her a tight squeeze. 

 

 

Friday night, they were all once again at the club and Betty was sitting down after having spent half an hour dancing and Veronica was at the moment hitting the dance floor with both Reggie and Archie and flirting her ass off with both of them and while she might have thought she was having fun, Betty could see Reggie was fuming and Archie was being an idiot douche with no boundaries or respect for the man trying to get his girlfriend to come home with him. Betty leaned back against Jughead in the booth and his arm immediately came around her shoulders, pulling her into the curve of his body.

“What exactly is your friend trying to do?” he asked as he sipped his beer. “It’s like a Veronica sandwich out there and I’m worried those two will come to blows.”

“I have no idea,” Betty sighed. “She needs to stop this and either end it with Reggie or stop pissing him off with Archie.”

“What the problem with her and her boyfriend anyway? Is he a flirt? Is she trying to show him what it feels like?” Jughead asked.

“I don’t really know,” Betty shrugged. “They’ve been dating on and off since high school and there is always a lot of jealousy, feeling neglected, fighting over stupid shit. He owns a custom bike shop and her complaint this time is that he spends more time there than he does with her but the thing is, he’s trying to build it into something big and he works hard for his money and she was born rich and doesn’t have to do anything if she doesn’t want to. I think he’s trying to prove he can make something big of himself because her money intimidates him and she doesn’t understand that and doesn’t think it matters.”

“I get it,” Jughead said. “He can’t just freeload off of her and him trying to match her wealth may never work so he works himself half to death with this shop and she just flounces around and wants to have fun and doesn’t understand that he needs to work.”

“If Archie would get a clue and leave them alone to work it out, it may go a little easier,” Betty said in annoyance.

“I’ve told him like 5 times already, I even gave him shit today before we got here that he needs to back off, but Veronica doesn’t appear to want that, so I don’t know. He won’t listen to me if she keeps pulling him back because he’s a horny asshole.”

“Maybe they deserve each other,” Betty said and then laughed. The trio finally made their way over to the table and a giddy and drunk Veronica leaned over the table.

“Betty, I’m heading to the bar to grab another drink, can I get you one?”

“Sure, a bay breeze please. You want me to go with?”

“No girl, I got it,” V announced and bounced away. By the time she got back with the drinks, Betty had been on the verge of coming to find her. “Sorry hon, was talking to some handsome gentlemen at the bar.” Betty rolled her eyes and grabbed her drink and Reggie sank back into the booth, sulking. She sipped her drink and spent the next 15 minutes watching Veronica flirt with Archie and Reggie get more moody by the minute. It was getting to the point where she wanted to scream and Jughead took her hand that lay clenched in her lap and laced his fingers through hers, gently squeezing and she was thankful for his calm. Still, after a few more minutes, she had had enough.

“Okay, you know what?” she sighed. “I can’t take this shit anymore. Veronica, I don’t know what you’re trying to fucking prove, but the way you’re treating Reggie is disrespectful and pathetic. Either fucking tell him you’re done, or stop rubbing yourself all over Archie because you’re being a complete bitch,” Betty snapped. She turned and looked at Archie next. “Archie, you need to fuck off. She is using you to get to her boyfriend and the fact that you’re playing along, right in front of his face is the most asshole dick thing I think you can do,” she said angrily. She felt a sudden wave of dizziness and realized she had probably had one too many drinks. Although she usually had 3 or 4 without much problem. She turned to Reggie next. “And Reggie, the fact that you’re sitting here and letting her do this to you is really fucking sad. Obviously you don’t want to lose her and you love her, because why the fuck else would you put yourself through this, but honestly, have a little self respect and either dump her, or punch Archie in the fucking face.” They all looked at her in surprise and had the decency to look embarrassed by their behavior.

“What, no lecture for Jughead?” Archie grumbled like a child. 

“No, there is no lecture for Jughead,” Betty snapped at him. “Jughead is the only person being decent and just about the sweetest guy I’ve ever known and no matter how shitty things were, he would never act like such an utter fucking dickhead.”

“Honestly Betty,” Veronica sighed. “You need to lighten up and the only reason you’re being easy on Jughead is because….”

“You know what, V?” Betty said furiously. “Shut the fuck up. Jughead isn’t even part of this. This is all your fault because you can’t be decent and work out your problems with your boyfriend without trying to make him feel like shit and Archie is too stupid to realize he’s being used and they need to both dump your ass!” Her head was suddenly pounding and she got up and Jughead took her hand. 

“You okay?” he asked, looking concerned.

“I’m fine, I just need to go to the washroom,” Betty sighed. 

“Up the stairs,” he said, pointing to the left side of the club. He watched her go and turned back to the three people sulking on the other side of the booth and let out a laugh.

“Are you guys in your mid 20s, or are you fucking 14 year olds?” he asked. “Honestly, I’ve seen kids act more mature than you.” They said nothing and he sat back and finished his beer while he waited for Betty. He kept glancing at the stairs and finally after 15 minutes, he saw her at the top and take a few steps down. He furrowed his brow as he watched her and when she paused and lifted a hand to her forehead, a look of confusion on her face, he got up and slowly made his way over to the stairs, his eyes never leaving her. She took another couple of steps and then grasped the railing and paused again.

“Betty?” he spoke, knowing she wouldn’t hear him and when he saw her sway, he yelled her name and started running but he wasn’t quick enough and she pitched forward and he watched in horror, almost like it was happening in slow motion as she tumbled down the stairs. He heard Veronica scream behind him and his heart about stopped when Betty landed in a crumple heap at the bottom of the stairs. 

“Betty!” he exclaimed, dropping down beside her. She moaned and rolled onto her back and he quickly took her head and held her still. “Don’t move honey,” he said, hearing his voice shake. Archie, Reggie and Veronica dropped down around her and Archie was already on the phone calling an ambulance.

“What the fuck happened?” Veronica cried, tears rolling down her face. “Is she okay?”

“I don’t know,” Jughead murmured, feeling around the back of her head and pulling his hand away to find a little blood on his fingers.

“Oh Jesus,” Reggie gasped and Jughead checked again. 

“It doesn’t seem to be gushing blood and I can’t really feel any big gash, so it may just be superficial. I don’t know if she’s hurt anywhere else.” 

People were starting to gather around and Jughead had to yell for them to get back. Betty didn’t move and he realized she was unconscious and his hands were shaking where he held her head. The medics arrived 10 minutes later which in his opinion was too fucking long and after looking her over, carefully got her on the stretcher and wheeled her out of the club. People watched and Jughead ran along side with the other three trailing behind. As they loaded her in the back of the ambulance, he moved in and a medic put out a hand to stop him.

“Who are you?” she asked.

“Her room…..” Jughead began.

“He’s her boyfriend,” Archie talked right over him. He looked over at him and Archie nodded and gave him a look to not argue. “It’s the only way they’ll let you in there,” he said muttered by his ear.

“You’re her boyfriend?” the woman asked again.

“Uh, yeah,” Jughead said quickly, sending Archie a look of thanks. 

“That’s good enough for me, hop in,” she said and Jughead climbed in next to her and soon they were on their way after Archie promised they would follow behind. “Can you tell me what happened?” the medic asked as she worked on Betty.

“She was coming down the stairs and she fell,” Jughead explained. “I noticed she looked a little confused and she seemed dizzy and I tried to get to her but I wasn’t fast enough.”

“How much has she had to drink?”

“I think 3, maybe 4 drinks? It’s her usual amount and she’s never had an issue. She’s been tipsy but never _can’t walk, fall down_ drunk.”

“How about pills? Any drugs that you know of?”

“No, no, she would never,” Jughead said quickly, his hand grasping Betty’s like his life depended on it. “Is she gonna be okay?” he asked hoarsely.

“Well, we’ll have to do a scan to make sure she doesn’t have a head injury. She doesn’t appear to have any broken bones but her shoulder does seem like it’s dislocated.” Jughead winced, having had a similar injury a few years back and he knew the kind of pain she would be in. “We’ll do a tox screen to see if there’s anything in her system.” Jughead nodded, barely hearing what she was saying as he watched Betty’s face. She was so still and pale and it made his heart hurt.

They got to the hospital and Betty was wheeled into the ER and through some swinging doors and Jughead was held back and he stood with his hands in his hair, feeling like he was going to vomit. Archie, Reggie and Veronica soon hurried into the hospital and up to him.

“Is she okay?” Veronica asked, her eyes red from crying. “Where is she?”

“They took her into the back. They’re going to check for head injury and she seems to have a dislocated shoulder,” Jughead explained, his voice shaky and rough. A nurse came up to him with papers to fill out for information and he did the best he could and then they sat down in the waiting room and proceeded to wait it out and he just about went out of his mind. Finally, an hour after they arrived, a doctor came out and Jughead stood quickly and hurried over.

“Any news on Betty Cooper?”

“You’re the boyfriend?” the doctor asked. Jughead quickly nodded. “Okay, well, she has a mild concussion and we fixed her shoulder which was dislocated and she has a few bumps and bruised and otherwise she’s physically fine. We also did a tox screen and found flunitrazepam or Rohypnol in her system.” 

“I don’t…” Jughead shook his head. “What is that?”

“Well, that’s the proper name for what’s usually called the date rape drug. It seems she was roofied.” Jughead stared at him in shock. 

“I don’t understand. She was with me the entire time she was drinking.”

“How long from her last drink until she seemed off?”

“About 15, maybe 20 minutes,” Jughead said slowly.

“How did she get her last drink?” the doctor asked. Jughead gritted his teeth and turned to Veronica who stood with a look of horror on her face.

“When you were flirting with the guys at the bar, did you have the drinks in your hand the entire time? Or did you set them down?” Jughead asked, his voice hard and angry.

“I don’t….” Veronica’s eyes filled with tears and she placed a hand on her chest. “I don’t remember,” she whispered. “I might have put them down.”

“Great,” Jughead snapped. “While you’re busy flirting and trying to fuck with these two, Betty’s the one who ends up getting hurt.” He stormed off without waiting for a response, wanting to punch something. The sooner those three morons went back to their lives and out of Betty’s, the better.

He wandered around for a while to cool down and then went back inside. Veronica was in Reggie’s arms, crying and Archie was leaning against the wall staring daggers at them. Jughead let out a frustrated sigh and walked over to him.

“Hey, you really upset Veronica,” the red head said angrily and Jughead about hit him.

“Archie, go the fuck home. Why are you even here? You don’t know Betty and Veronica was clearly just fucking around, so you don’t need to be here,” he snapped. Archie glared at him and pulled away from the wall.

“Well, excuse me for caring. Obviously your worry is making you an asshole, so I’m going to listen and go. I’ll check in later,” Archie said and then turned to head over to Veronica and Reggie and Jughead grabbed his arm. 

“There is nothing for you over there, go the fuck home!” Archie looked like he wanted to punch him but he turned and walked out of the hospital.

A couple of hours later, Jughead was allowed to go to Betty’s room. They informed him that she would be fine but they wanted to keep her overnight for observation and since she was asleep, Veronica just left with Reggie on Jughead’s promise that he would call when she was home safe. When he was in her room with her, Jughead sat on the edge of the bed and brushed her hair off her face. She looked so small and pale and yet, she was so beautiful. 

“Hey honey,” he said softly. “Can you wake up for me?” 

Betty heard Jughead’s voice and wondered why her eyelids felt like they weighed 100 pounds. She became aware of two things at once. Her shoulder felt like it was on fire and her head felt like someone took a sledge hammer to it. She also became aware of the familiar grip of Jughead’s hand in hers and she clung tightly to it. She managed to open her eyes and saw she was in a hospital room and he was sitting on the edge of the bed, his face worried and upset.

“What happened?” she managed to croak out, licking her lips to try and get some moisture to them. Jughead reached for the ice water and she took a few sips through the straw. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Why am I here?”

“You fell down the stairs at the club,” Jughead said softly, brushing her hair back. “Do you remember anything?”

“I remember being angry at Veronica and her two idiots and then I felt sort of sick and had to go to the washroom. I don’t remember anything after that. How did I fall down the stairs?” she asked. Jughead let out a sigh and gave her hand a squeeze.

“You passed out. Somebody slipped something into your drink,” Jughead explained and she gasped in horror. “We figure it probably happened when Veronica was getting you that drink and stopped to flirt with some guys. She thinks she may have put your drinks down, she doesn’t remember.”

“Oh,” Betty said in a small voice, her eyes filling with tears. “Nothing else happened though, right?”

“Nothing else. They did a complete check. But you have a mild concussion and you dislocated your shoulder during the fall,” Jughead explained. 

“Is Veronica okay?” Betty asked.

“She’s fine. Reggie took her home. I um….” Jughead sighed, looking a little sheepish. “I might have yelled at her a little,” he admitted. “If she hadn’t been playing games and…” he was getting upset all over again and Betty gripped his hand.

“It’s okay Jug,” she whispered. “We don’t have to talk about it now. I’m too tired and my brain can’t process.”

“I’ll let you get some sleep,” he said, standing up. She gripped his hand and didn’t let him pull away.

“Can you stay with me? Lay down with me? I don’t want to be alone,” Betty whispered, desperate for his comfort. 

“Of course,” he said quickly. He managed to lay down on his side next to her good shoulder and wrapped his arm around her waist. She let out a whimper of pain as she tried to get closer and he held her still and shifted his body so he was pressed against her and felt her relax. “I’m so sorry hon,” he whispered, sliding his arm under her neck and she rolled her face into his neck.

“It’s okay, Juggie,” she whispered back. His heart fluttered a little at the nickname and he pressed a kiss to her forehead. She was asleep moments later. She woke up once in the night and cried against his neck and he whispered comfort against her ear and pressed kisses to her cheek until she fell asleep once more.

 

Betty got released the following day and was finally at home around mid afternoon. Her head hurt and her shoulder was in pain and Jughead helped her every step of the way. He got some pillows to help prop her on the couch and she slowly, wincing, settled down and leaned back. 

“Can I get you anything?” he asked, squatting down in front of her. Betty touched his face with her hand of her good arm and smiled. 

“Come here,” she said softly, tugging on his chin. He stood and leaned down and she gave him a soft, gentle kiss. “You’re a good man, Jughead Jones,” she whispered against his mouth.

“You’ve been waiting for a chance to kiss me again, huh?” he teased and she shook her head at him. 

“Yes, I threw myself down the stairs, just so I could kiss you at some point,” she said with an eyeroll. 

“Better make it a good one then,” he suggested.

“Jughead,” she murmured, her lips brushing his.

“Hmmm?”

“Get me some pain killers.”

“Spoil sport,” he whispered and she giggled when he straightened up and went to get her meds.

Betty spent the afternoon watching TV and dozing on the couch and after dinner, a pot of pasta that Jughead made, she suddenly felt sticky and gross and wanted to wash the club and hospital off of her. She attempted to get up and groaned at the pain that shot through her shoulder. Jughead, who was sitting at the table writing, jumped up and hurried over. 

“Hey, what do you need?” he asked. 

“I want to go get cleaned up,” Betty sighed. “I feel gross and I need another pain killer.” Jughead got her the pills and then helped her up and she walked slowly to the bathroom. He leaned against the door frame and waited for her to decide what she wanted to do.

“Bath or shower?” he asked. She looked at both and the thought of soaking her sore muscles sounded wonderful and she motioned to the tub. Jughead went to it and started the water and poured in a little bubble bath for her and the smell of vanilla soon flooded the room. 

“Thank you,” she said softly and he smiled and moved to leave, closing the door softly. Betty stood there and suddenly realized she wasn’t going to be able to do this by herself. “Jug?” she called out and winced at the throb that went through her head at her own loud voice.

“Yes?” he called through the door.

“I…I need help,” she said, her voice sounding pathetic and frustrated. Jughead opened the door again and walked in and she felt tears sting her eyes. “I can’t get undressed because I can’t move my arm,” she whispered. 

“Oh, okay,” he said softly. The nurses at the hospital had helped maneuver her shirt on and off and she couldn’t make it work on her own. “You need me to…”

“Undress me,” she sighed, her face turning red. He stepped closer and she looked at him nervously. 

“I promise I won’t look,” he assured her.

“How are you going to manage that,” she wondered.

“I’ll only look if I have to,” Jughead promised. She nodded and started to unbutton her shirt. She managed to get it undone and he took off her sling and helped to ease the shirt down her arm, knowing any pressure would cause her shoulder to flare in pain. They hadn’t bothered to put her bra back on at the hospital and she stood naked from the waist up and Jughead smiled at her, keeping his promise to not look past her neck. Betty was thankful she had worn a skirt to the club and not tight jeans because she undid the button and zipper and it just fell past her hips to the floor. The tub was full at that point and Jughead moved to turn on the water and then grabbed a towel and carefully wrapped it around her front and she held it to herself. 

She tried hard not to react to his hands touching her bare skin as he reached behind the towel and hooked his fingers in her panties and slowly pulled them down until she could step out of them. He straightened up and smiled at her and she stepped to the tub and still holding the towel, he steadied her as she stepped in and slowly lowered down into the bubbles. When she was hidden from sight, she handed him the soaked towel and he wrung it out and set it on the vanity counter. Betty tried to lean back and let out a frustrated sigh. 

“Dammit,” she grumbled. “Didn’t they pop my shoulder back in? Shouldn't I be able to use it?”

“It will hurt a lot for a few days and then slowly feel better,” Jughead explained. “Your head will hurt a while too.”

“Well, I can’t even relax in here,” she sighed. “I should have taken a shower.” She looked up at him and chewed her lip for a minute. “Do you want to get in here with me?” she asked quietly. Jughead’s eyes widened for a second and he cleared his throat.

“Umm…what?”

“You can sit behind me and I can lean on you. It seems like you’ll have to freaking bathe me anyway.” He squatted down next to the tub and smiled at her.

“Is this because you saw me naked and you need another peek?” he teased. 

“Of course,” she fired back and laughed at his surprised look. “I won’t look, and you can sit behind me.”

“Betty…” he sighed, his face telling her it wasn’t a good idea.

“Just….I just want to lean back and soak my sore muscles and it’s hard to do that when the tub is slippery and I can’t move quick enough to save myself from drowning if I slip,” she said with a laugh.

“Alright, but remember this was your idea,” he said with a sigh and stood to start undressing. “Shall I keep my boxers on?” he asked.

“The ones you’ve been wearing since yesterday? No thank you,” she replied. 

“I can get clean ones,” he laughed. “It probably won’t matter much but there will be some cloth between us then,” he informed her. 

“Just….get in here,” she sighed and he finished undressing and she kept her eyes on the bubbles as he stepped into the tub and lowered himself behind her. Once he settled, he helped her ease back to rest against his chest and not even the pain the small movement caused could keep her from shivering at the feel of his skin against her entire back. “Is there anything about this in the roommate bible?” she asked with a laugh. “I’m pretty sure this is not acceptable behaviour.”

“Well, this may fit under the verse that says ‘ _must help roommate when in pain, no matter what the situation_ ’,” Jughead said with a chuckle.

“Ahhh,” she said with a smirk. “Funny how there’s a verse for every situation.”

“Of course,” he assured her. She was very aware of his legs on either side of hers and she rested her hand on his thigh, feeling the muscle flex under her touch. She lay her head back on his shoulder and closed her eyes, letting the hot water and his breathing soothe her. A few minutes later she went still and opened her eyes.

“Jughead, are you….?” He let out a sigh and wrapped his arm around her waist.

“Betty, we’re in the bath and you’re fucking naked.”

“Your body doesn’t understand again?” she asked, biting back a smile.

“I’m afraid not,” he sighed. “I’m sorry but the most beautiful woman I know, is naked and slippery and wet and leaning against me in a bubble bath and…”

“Jug?”

“What?” he huffed in frustration.

“Are you sure it’s just your body? Or are you thinking naughty thoughts?” she teased.

“You’re going to kill me, I swear to god,” he muttered. She giggled and then felt him twitch against her back and figured she better behave herself. “I lied. This isn’t in the roommate bible and this was a bad fucking idea,” he sighed. She lifted her good arm and reached back and touched his face. 

“It’s okay,” she said softly and he kissed her palm and she turned her head and kissed his chin, smiling against the skin. She leaned back and his eyes held hers, the blue darker than usual and she felt her stomach explode in flutters. “You look like you want to kiss me,” she whispered when his eyes dropped to her mouth.

“I do but I won’t,” he whispered back.

“Why?”

“Because we’re naked in a bath tub and it’s a really bad idea,” he insisted. She smiled and turned her head again and closed her eyes.

“You’re probably right,” she said softly. They sat quietly for a while, Jughead keeping his hands either on her arms or stomach, although neither made it any less sensual. Whenever she shifted she felt him tense and her entire body was filled with warmth that had nothing to do with the bath. Or had everything to do with the bath. Eventually it was time to get out and while she managed to wash herself, she could do nothing with her hair so he washed it for her. He also helped her around her bum arm and as soon as he got himself rinsed, he got out and quickly dried off and went to grab some pajama pants and came back to help her.

“Let’s get you out of there,” he said with a smile. “You’re sitting there in our dirt.”

“Don’t be gross,” Betty sighed. “Clearly I didn’t think this through,” she added with a laugh. She grasped his arm and gingerly pulled herself up. She had to move slowly and was frustrated by the time she managed to step out of the tub. Jughead noticed the tears swimming in her eyes and wrapped the towel gently around her. 

“I promise it will only hurt for a few days and the stiffness and soreness will go away. It’ll be sore for a while, but the horrible pain will be gone soon.” She nodded and rested her forehead against his chest. He moved back and smiled. “Let’s get you dressed and in bed, yeah?” She followed him to her bedroom and she grabbed a pair of pajama pants and opted to leave the underwear. She held the towel as he helped her step into the pants and tugged them up for her. He again kept his gaze on her face as he helped ease her arm into a tshirt and got it on her. Once he had her tucked in bed she was exhausted. 

“Will you stay like you did yesterday?” she asked quietly. 

“Just let me get the lights out and I’m going to call the bar and take a few days off.”

“You don’t…..” she started.

“Yeah, I do,” he said matter of factly and left the room. He came back 15 minutes later and she tried not to stare at his bare torso as he went over to the balcony door and made sure it was locked. He came over to the bed and opened her painkillers and got her to take one and climbed in on her good side, sliding right up against her, and resting his arm across her waist, sliding the other under her head. 

“Thank you Jughead,” she whispered. 

“Any time,” he said with a smile. She swallowed and it all seemed to hit her at once and she started to cry. “Don’t cry,” Jughead murmured. He wanted to pull her close but knew it would hurt her, so he just pressed against her and squeezed her waist. “It’s okay, Betts, you’re okay.”

“If I had…if I had been alone and with some guy who…..” she choked against his chest.

“You weren’t, you weren’t,” he reminded her, kissing her forehead. “You’re okay hon.” She shuddered against him and let his warmth and calm seep into her. She pulled her head back and he gazed at her, his thumb wiping the tears off her face.

“Can you kiss me?” she whispered. She didn’t have to ask him twice as he lowered his lips to hers, brushing against them a few times before settling into the kiss. His mouth was so soft and warm and he kissed her slowly, gently, his hand cupping her jaw, his thumb brushing against her cheek bone. Betty felt her body simmer with heat and she whimpered when she felt his tongue flick across her lips and she opened for him, her hand pressing against the skin of his chest as she eagerly kissed him back, sliding her tongue against his.

Jughead shifted, lifting slightly and bracing his hand on the mattress next to her pained shoulder, and she wanted so badly to press against him but while the pain meds were kicking in and numbing her somewhat, every sudden move she made hurt like hell. His mouth left hers and trailed across his jaw and down her neck and he pressed gentle kisses across her shoulder.

“Jug,” she breathed and he came back to her mouth and gave her slow, thorough kiss. Betty could feel herself start to tremble and she pressed gently against his chest and he slowly pulled back, his breathing hitched and shaky. She was having trouble catching her breath. She didn’t know why she had wanted him to kiss her, knew that they were crossing the line too much to maintain this illusion of friendly roommates, but she felt immensely better and she lifted her head a little and kissed him again before settling back on her pillow. It was like he had become her safe place. “Will you stay in here with me all night?”

“Yes,” he promised, his voice husky and gruff. He settled next to her, his arm secure around her waist and her head resting against his arm. “Goodnight Betty,” he whispered.

“Goodnight Juggie,” she whispered back. He lay awake a long time after she fell asleep, watching her breathe and thinking how beautiful she was. He brushed the hair off her forehead and placed a gentle kiss there. 

Roommates. That word would never be the same to him again.


	6. Past Secrets

Betty woke the next morning, her shoulder stiff and sore and her head pounding. She opened her eyes and saw Jughead sitting beside her on the bed reading a book. Reading a book and eating a bowl of icecream.

“Are you seriously eating ice cream first thing in the morning?” she asked sleepily, wincing at the throbbing in her head. Jughead turned to her and smiled, putting the book down.

“Well, it’s actually half past noon, but yes I’d eat it first thing in the morning too,” he winked. 

“I slept till past noon?” Betty gasped, trying to jump up out of habit and falling back with a cry as pain shot through her shoulder.

“Hey, hey, easy,” he said, quickly putting down his bowl and shifting to help her lay back. “You were exhausted. You may not have noticed the night you spent in the hospital but you were very restless and didn’t sleep much and you needed to catch up.”

“I’ve never slept this long in my life,” she sighed, wincing at the pain. Jughead got off the bed and she noticed he had pulled on some jeans and the tight white tank top was back. He got her a couple of pain killers and water and she swallowed them.

“I promise you’ll feel better in a couple of days. You’ll be able to move your arm more all the time and we’ll stretch it out, okay?” Jughead assured her. Betty only nodded as she looked at him and much to her annoyance, her eyes filled with tears. “Hey, what’s this?” he asked softly, lifting his hand to catch the tear that escaped with his thumb.

“You’re being real - really sweet,” she said in a whisper, hiccupping around her words.

“That’s what roommates are for,” he said with a wink.

“No,” she said softly. “You’re seriously the sweetest guy I’ve ever met.”

“You hungry?” he asked with a smile. 

“Starving,” she murmured, still holding his gaze and she suddenly had no idea if she meant food. 

“What would you like?” Jughead asked, his voice suddenly gone gruff, his eyes dropping to her mouth.

_You? All over me?_

“Turkey sandwich?” she managed to squeak out. He nodded and quickly left the room. “Good grief,” she whispered to herself. Her heart was pounding and she couldn’t for the life of her figure out why Jughead being sweet made her want to suddenly jump all over him. He’d always been sweet. She decided the meds were messing with her head. And his kiss from the night before. The way his mouth felt on hers. The way he was lounging and reading beside her when she woke as if he didn’t have a life other than looking after her. She really needed to get a hold of herself she decided with a sigh.

Jughead brought her the sandwich and some iced tea and flopped down beside her again while she ate. When she was finished, she put her hand on his leg and he turned to smile at her.

“I want to go to the living room,” she told him and he stood and offered his hand. She slowly pulled herself up, her arm pressed close to her body. Once they got to the living room, he kept her standing at the couch and lightly touched her arm. 

“Shall we see if we can straighten the arm?” he asked. She nodded and with his help managed to uncurl it and stretch it out a little. “Can you make a tight fist?” She tried and only managed a loose fist. “Okay, we try again later,” he smiled. “Keep moving it gently and don’t let it get stiff. How’s the headache?”

“Okay,” she said. “The pills are working good today.” He helped her settle on the couch and sat down next to her and she leaned against him. “Thank you, Jug.”

“You’re welcome,” he said, taking her hand and squeezing it. “Veronica called your cell phone earlier. I hope you don’t mind that I answered. She’s coming over in a couple of hours,” he told her. “I should probably apologize to her,” he added with a sigh. Betty said nothing as she sat with her head resting against his arm; she was too preoccupied by how good he smelled. It seemed he had finally used his own body wash and the scent was manly and sexy.

 

Veronica showed up an hour earlier than was expected and when Jughead let her in and she saw Betty she promptly burst into tears and rushed over. She was about to grab Betty in a hug and stopped abruptly at the quick shake of her head, remembering that she was still injured. She sat down beside her and grasped her hand.

“I’m so so sorry Betty, I feel just awful,” Veronica cried, her eyes looking exhausted.

“Veronica it isn’t your fault,” Betty insisted, squeezing her hand. “Unfortunately we have to be super vigilant now-a-days because shitty people do shitty things. It isn’t your fault that some asshole decided to put something in the drink. It could have just as easily been in yours.”

“It should have been. I’m the one who was….” 

“Please stop,” Betty said softly. “I’m not blaming you at all.”

“Yeah, well Jughead sure was angry with me,” Veronica said with a sigh, wiping her eyes. “I swear to God Betty, I think if I’d been a guy he would have punched me, that’s how furious he looked. Furious and scared. He sure cares a lot about you,” she added in a hushed whisper, so Jughead, who was in the kitchen making a sandwich, wouldn’t hear. 

“He was worried and lashed out, I don’t think he meant it,” Betty said softly, ignoring the last part of Veronica’s comment. She already knew he cared about her because his sweetness in taking care of her went beyond what was necessary for a roommate. Jughead chose that moment to come over and sat down in the chair.

“I’m sorry for yelling at you, Veronica. Betty is right, I was worried and it isn’t your fault that some fucker put something in the drink,” he said firmly.

“Well thank you, but there is a small bit of truth to it being slightly my fault. Had I not been trying to mess with Reggie by flirting with Archie and every guy in sight, I would have brought the drinks straight to the table and we would have avoided all this,” V said with a sigh.

“Well, some good things have come from it,” Jughead said with a wink in Betty’s direction and she promptly turned red. Veronica looked back and forth between them.

“What?” she asked, confused.

“Nothing,” Betty said quickly and glared at Jughead while he sat smirking and eating his sandwich. She turned back to Veronica and studied her friend. “So, have you figured out yet what exactly you’re doing with Reggie? I kind of meant what I said in my rant the other night. You’re not being fair to him Veronica and you need to figure out what you’re doing.”

“I know and I am….we are. We had a long talk the other night and we’re going to go on a little trip and try to figure out what we’re doing. I’ve loved and hated him for so long, I don’t know what I’m doing anymore and I really need to figure it out. I just hope I didn’t get Archie’s hopes up….” She sighed. Jughead let out a laugh.

“Trust me, Archie will be just fine,” he insisted as he finished off his sandwich.

“Well, that’s good. He seemed like a bit of a player,” she commented and Betty rolled her eyes. 

“I told you he was, but you never listen to me.”

“Oh well,” Veronica shrugged. “At least I didn’t sleep with him. One less regret on my long list.” Jughead got up and headed to his room and when he was out of ear shot, she looked at Betty with a smile. “Seriously Betty, what is going on with you two and what good thing came from you being roofied?”

“Nothing,” Betty laughed nervously, picking up the remote and flipping through channels. Veronica grabbed it and threw it on the chair.

“No, tell me now. Are you two still playing around like you’re just roommates?”

“We are just roommates,” Betty said with a frown. “We’re just really close.”

“How close is _really close_?” Veronica wanted to know.

“Okay, but you can’t freak out because honestly, it wasn’t really….ok it was something, but at the same time it wasn’t.”

“I’m going to need more info!”

“Well, a couple of weeks ago….i think…I can’t remember when exactly, maybe 10 days ago….we were watching a movie and this couple was having this amazing kiss and I just happened to mention, and honestly, I wasn’t hinting at anything, but I said it had been really long since I had a great kiss and he….”

“Oh my god, he what??” Veronica exclaimed.

“Well, he offered as a _friend_ , to kiss me,” Betty said sheepishly.

“And you….”

“I let him,” Betty said with a blush. 

“Was it a good kiss?” V asked with a smirk. Betty sighed and lay her head back on the couch.

“Oh my god, it was amazing. Like, I’ve never been kissed like that before in my life,” Betty admitted.

“Was there tongue?” V giggled.

“Oh yeah, there was tongue and I was straddling his lap and he was……” 

“Holy shit,” Veronica breathed. “What happened after?”

“Nothing, I went to bed,” Betty laughed. “But things have been a little different since. Like we still flirt constantly and while neither of us have moved to go past being friends and roommates, we seem closer? I don’t know. And yesterday……”

“Oh shit, what happened yesterday?”

“He sort of…..well, he….he joined me in the bath because I couldn’t bathe myself,” Betty said, biting her lip. Veronica sat back and just stared at her for a minute.

“Then I asked him to kiss me when I was in bed and he did and then I asked him to stay with me all night and he did and now we’re here.” 

“Jesus.” That’s all Veronica could muster for a while and Betty sat nervously waiting for her to say something. “And you’re not actually or officially dating?” 

“No.”

“Friends with benefits?”

“No, I wouldn’t do that. If I sleep with him, it will have to mean more than friends,” Betty said. “And I really don’t know if either of us wants that right now.” Veronica just rolled her eyes at that.

“Okay, lets go back to the bath thing, because honestly, my mind is in shock at the moment. You shared a bath? Like he was in there with you? Naked? In front of you or behind you?”

“Yes he was in there with me, behind me so I could lean on him.”

“And he didn’t react in any way?”

“Well, I didn’t say that,” Betty said with a giggle. 

“And he didn’t try anything?” Veronica asked, sounding very sceptical.

“He didn’t, he’s a sweetheart and even though he, well his body reacted physically to being naked with me, he kept it clean.”

“Wow, you two are fucked up worse than me and Reggie.”

“Veronica!”

“I’m sorry, but Jesus Christ Betty, are you serious? This is not how friends and roommates behave.”

“It works for us,” Betty shrugged and Veronica realized she wasn’t going to get through to her. She and Jughead really did live in their own weird little world.

Veronica stayed for a couple hours and then headed out and promised to text after her trip with Reggie and tell her what they figured out. Betty managed to get herself up off the couch and found that her shoulder, while it still hurt, wasn’t as stiff as it had been and she tried to move it around a little. Jughead, who she figured had just been giving her time with Veronica, came out of the bedroom and as usual, headed straight to fridge.

“How’s the shoulder feeling?” he asked. 

“Less stiff,” Betty said, walking over to him. “Those stretches helped and I’m really hungry. Let’s order Chinese food.” Jughead nodded and grabbed a beer from the fridge and offered it to her. Betty took it and he pulled one out for himself and opened them both

“What shall we do all evening,” he asked after taking a long swallow. “Movie, or bath?” Betty looked at him in surprise and blushed at the teasing glint in his eyes. 

“That was a one time thing,” she insisted, feeling like her face was on fire. 

“Why?” he asked with a smile. “I rather enjoyed it.”

“Yeah, certain parts of you enjoyed it,” Betty laughed. Jughead winked and walked past her, but paused and leaned down toward her.

“ _Every part of me enjoyed it_ ,” he murmured against her ear and kept walking to the couch. Betty shivered and suddenly had images of them sliding against each other all covered in suds.

“Jesus,” she muttered and he laughed softly as he settled on the couch. She grabbed her phone and set about ordering food and went to sit on the couch next to him. He helped her so she wouldn’t jar her shoulder too much and as always, she leaned against him. When he pressed a kiss to her hair and she turned her head to look at him. Jughead smiled softly and held her gaze. The buzzing of her phone in her pocket made her jump almost a foot and she winced at the ache in her arm. She fished it out and looked at the text from Ginny.

“Awww, man,” she sighed, reading the message.

“What’s up?”

“That beautiful desk sold,” she said with a pout. “I was hoping nobody would ever want it and now I can’t stare at it anymore.” Betty replied and when Ginny answered back she burst out laughing. 

“Something funny?”

“She says it was bought online by some rich sounding guy because he has an old fuddy duddy pretentious name.”

“A name can be pretentious and make someone sound like a fuddy duddy? By the way, what is a fuddy duddy?”

“I have no idea. An old rich person?”

“You got a picture of this person? How do you know he’s old?” Jughead asked.

“Hold on, she’s sending the name….” Betty waited and then started to giggle. “Okay, see? Who but an old rich person would have a name like Forsythe Pendleton the Third?” Betty was busy staring at her phone and didn’t notice the smile twitching on Jughead’s lips. 

“Maybe his parents hated him?” he joked. “Or maybe it’s a family name?”

“Well, this person is _the third_ , so yikes, that’s a lot of men with this name,” she laughed.

“Maybe they had a girl too and named her Forsythia or something?” Jughead said, taking a sip of his beer to hide his grin.

“Sweet Jesus, I hope not,” Betty gasped. Jughead burst out laughing and she looked at him in surprise. “What on earth is funny? Imagine the poor girl.”

“Yeah, I can picture her already,” he said, his eyes twinkling. 

“Old and wrinkled, like her brother?” she asked. Jughead only laughed harder and she decided the beer had gone straight to his head. Their food came a short while later and they settled on the couch to eat. Betty was grateful it was her left shoulder that had been injured because trying to eat and do things left handed would have been difficult. She was also thankful because it wouldn’t cause an issue with her restoration work. Long hours trying to fix ancient writing and bind books usually caused her shoulder and arm to ache and nursing an injury on top of that would have been impossible.

 

By the time Friday rolled around, her arm movement was excellent and she figured she’d be able to go back to work on Monday. Jughead had stayed home from his job the entire week too and while it hadn’t been necessary, he had done it anyway. Today though, he had gotten a call from work, begging him to come in for a few hours in the evening to cover someone who was sick and after arguing with her, he finally agreed.

“You’re coming with me,” he insisted when she managed to convince him.

“God, Jughead! I’m going to be fine. I’ll just curl up in bed and if there is an emergency, I’ll call you.”

“No, you need to get out of the apartment and I want you to come keep me company,” he said as he pulled his shirt off to change into his usual dark clothes for work. She promptly lost her train of thought as she stared at his chest and stomach. “Unless you’d rather we stay here and take a bath,” he teased and she flushed and quickly looked away.

“Stop being annoying,” she huffed and he just laughed.

“You’re the one blatantly staring and objectifying me.”

“Well, you’re my roommate, I’ll objectify you if I want to,” she shot back. He winked at her and back down the hall, flexing his stomach for her and she rolled her eyes. 

“You know you want this,” he called out as he disappeared into his bedroom. _Hell yes, I do._ she thought and then sighed. Where the hell had that come from?

“In your dreams, Jones,” she fired back as she sighed and ran a hand through her hair. His flirting this week had been a level higher than normal and she wondered if it was the bath they had shared. Well, it had to be, if she was going to be honest. He had stayed with her a couple of nights and then reluctantly went back to his own bed on Wednesday and she had to admit, she missed having him beside her, his arm curled around her waist. He had kissed her goodnight each night, the same kind of kiss she had asked for on Sunday night and each time it had been harder to let go of him.

She still did her usually flirting, but he had upped it a notch and now he was teasing her about wanting him and sleeping with her and she didn’t know what to make of it. He wasn’t doing it in a disrespectful way or to embarrass her, even if she did blush, but he was teasing, flirting in a soft way that had her heart racing and her searching his eyes to see if there was something deeper behind his teasing. She of course always rebuffed him, which he seemed to thoroughly enjoy. When he came back out in his black jeans and black t-shirt, she seriously wondered how she hadn’t jumped him yet. He was so beautiful and he could have had anybody and he was perfectly content staying home with her and flirting.

“Jug?” 

“Yeah?” he returned, crouching down to lace up his boots. 

“Did you really never go out or hang around many people before we met?” He turned to look at her and smiled.

“I did sometimes, just with Archie but I did prefer to stay home and not be around anybody. 

“But why? You’re easy to talk to, really friendly and sweet, not to mention easy on the eyes. I would figure you’d have a line up of friends and ladies waiting around for you,” Betty said as she leaned on the counter and waited for him to finish with his boots. She was going with him but she figured her jeans and t-shirt was good enough and she never had to bring her purse because he served her drinks on his tab.

“I guess I just prefer to be alone,” he said as he stood. “Shall we go?” Betty nodded and they left the apartment and once outside, she chose to walk the 5 blocks rather than call a cab or an Uber. As usual, he took her hand while they walked and she enjoyed the warmth of his and gave it a gentle squeeze which he reciprocated.

It was quite busy as it was Friday night and she took her usual spot on the end of the bar, where not too many chose to sit. When he wasn’t busy mixing drinks, Jughead was leaning against the bar and chatting it up with her. She chose to just sip on some brandy over having cocktails and was careful to always hold her glass. Unfortunately the previous weeks incident had made her paranoid, which Jughead noticed.

“You okay, hon?” he asked gently, reaching over and tucking her hair behind her ear. 

“I’m good,” she smiled. “Maybe slightly paranoid.”

“Relax then,” he suggested. “I’m watching and you’re safe here.”

“Thank you,” Betty said, grabbing his hand that rested on the bar. He leaned over and gave her a soft kiss and she smiled against his mouth.

“You’ll use any excuse to kiss me,” she teased.

“Says the girl who keeps begging me for them,” he teased back.

“I do not beg! I asked! And may I add, you were more than eager to indulge me,” she giggled. He leaned back and studied her, his eyes dark and heated and she felt her stomach clench. 

“Maybe I’ll do the asking next time. Would you indulge me?” he asked, his eyes dropping to her mouth. 

“Well, it would depend on why you’re asking,” she said with a smile, biting her bottom lip. 

“I’ll think of a really good reason, like say; I haven’t had a really good kiss in a long time, or you know, maybe just a simple good night?” he teased.

“Are you making fun of my reasons?” she laughed.

“You could tell me you needed a kiss because they were outlawing shoelaces and I’d indulge you, because I get to kiss you,” Jughead said gruffly and Betty suddenly found it hard to breathe. She didn’t know what was happening to her lately. Everything he did made her body hum and her heart race and she felt like she was losing her mind a little bit.

“You know, sometimes I wish you were hideous,” she sighed and he let out a chuckle. 

“No, you don’t,” he winked and went to serve a customer. Near the end of Jughead’s shift, as he leaned against the bar explaining what went into a certain drink she asked about, she noticed him visibly stiffen as his eyes caught something across the room. She followed his gaze and saw two men standing near the door, one was facing away from them talking to the other and she noticed the emblem on the back of the leather jacket. 

Southside Serpents.

She wondered what south side they were referring to and why Jughead seemed uneasy. They were obviously part of a gang and when they caught sight of him they made their way over to the bar and Jughead moved to the other end away from her. He didn’t look happy to see them and he stood quietly as they talked, both the rough looking men looking quite somber. Jughead ran a hand through his hair and shook his head, looking shocked and angry at the same time. The men left after a few minutes and he stood there, his fists clench and staring at the floor. A waitress interrupted his thinking and he quickly snapped out of whatever was bothering him and went to work.

Jughead didn’t say much for the rest of his shift and when she asked him if he was okay, he just muttered that he was fine and changed the subject, but the lighthearted mood was gone and he suddenly looked tired and weary. On their way home, she held his hand and kept glancing at him and he just gave her a small smile.

“Are you alright?” she asked again.

“I’m good, Betts,” he answered quickly, squeezing her hand.

“Those men…”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” he interrupted and she said no more. When they got home, there was a message blinking on her answering machine for the land line she kept just so she didn’t need to give her mother her cell number. If she needed her, she could leave a message. Jughead was taking off his boots when Betty hit _play_ without thinking and her mother’s grating voice filled the apartment.

“So, I have to hear through the grapevine that you ended up in the hospital because you got drugged at some club? This is what happens when you don’t listen to me and do whatever the hell you want with no thought of the consequences! You could be going to school for journalism and here you are, wasting all your money on an apartment, fixing stupid old books and hopping around clubs and partying. Should I expect a pregnancy soon?” Jughead straightened in surprise and glanced at her and Betty stood, fists clenched and tears springing to her eyes. She hit delete and unplugged the answering machine and shoved it into a drawer.

“Betty?” Jughead’s soft voice broke through the red she saw and she spun away from it and stormed down the hall.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” she snapped back at him and slammed her bedroom door.

Betty sat down on the bed and tried to calm herself down. She had moved to fucking New York City to get away from her mother and still she managed to try to control her and make her feel like shit. She felt a sharp pain in her palm and quickly uncurled her fingers, looking down at her palms. It had been a long time since she had managed to break skin and there it was, one nail had cut through and she let out a shaky sigh. She had promised herself that she wouldn’t let her mother get to her like this anymore but when the woman used something awful that happened to her to be horrible, well Betty just couldn’t control it.

Trying to forget her mother existed, Betty let her thoughts go to Jughead and the two men at the bar. He was upset and hadn’t wanted to talk about it and she really wondered what was going on and how he knew two obvious gang members. Her thoughts went back to when he had first moved in and the article he’d said he was writing. Something about life after leaving a gang and how it affected someone. She had asked if he’d known anybody like that and now she wondered if he hadn’t been talking about himself and she just couldn’t picture the sweet guy she knew as being part of a gang. 

After a while she got up and changed into her pajama shorts and camisole and went into the kitchen to get a couple of beers, taking them to Jughead’s door and knocking softly.

“Can I come in?” she asked quietly. 

“Yeah…” he replied and she opened the door and found him sitting on the floor, leaning against the bed, dressed in sweats and a tank top, looking worn out and upset.

“Thought you could use a drink,” she said as she walked over to him, handing him a beer.

“Thanks,” he murmured, taking it from her hand and taking a drink. 

“You okay?” she asked, sitting down on the bed beside where he leaned against it.

“Are you?” he returned softly.

“Yeah, I’m…..my mom, she isn’t the easiest or nicest person to be around,” Betty said, staring down at the beer bottle in her hand.

“I gathered that,” Jughead nodded before lowering his head and stretching out his neck. 

“Your neck sore?” 

“Tension I guess,” he shrugged. Betty put her beer down on the floor and moved so she was settled behind him, folding her legs under her. She started to massage his neck and he let out a groan, dropping his head so she could dig in more.

“Do you want to talk about it?” she asked softly as she kneaded the tight muscle. Jughead was quiet awhile before he let out a long sigh and finally spoke.

“My dad is in the hospital. He had a heart attack yesterday,” he said quietly. Betty gasped and stopped massaging.

“Oh Jug, I’m so sorry!” she exclaimed. She leaned down and wrapped her arms around his shoulders and gave him a hug and he squeezed her arm with his hand. “Are you going to go see him?”

“I don’t know,” he said in a near whisper and Betty straightened up again, frowning as she resumed massaging.

“You don’t get along?”

“Not since I left….”

“Left?” she wondered out loud. Jughead was quiet again and she just kept rubbing his neck, the massage turning into more of a comforting caress than trying to loosen any tension.

“Those men at the bar,” he started, his voice a little hoarse. “The Southside Serpents. A gang in south Bronx. My dad runs it. I left them when I was 19 and I haven’t spoken much to my dad since.” Betty went still, having not expected to hear that. 

“You were in a gang?” she asked in surprise.

“Grew up with them, really. Offically joined when I was 16 because I thought it was important and would turn me into a man. Loyalty to my dad and the men I’d grown up with mostly.” Betty stayed quiet and he continued, seeming to need to finally tell her all that he’d been avoiding to say. “Once I was in the gang officially and was privy to the information and goings on, I realized it was just a bunch of grown ass men, too lazy to find real jobs and making a living selling drugs, running shitty guns and stealing and stripping cars. There wasn’t anything honorable about it and it kind of made me angry. My dad was always preaching about the importance of the Serpents, the loyalty and commitment to family. All this, _no Serpent left behind_ shit and _strength in unity_ and honestly, I was just like; you’re nothing but lazy thugs. Of course this epiphany only came when I was 18 and had already wasted 2 years being an idiot and selling dime bags of pot to teens and stealing a bunch of cars.”

“You never got in trouble?” she asked softly.

“No, I was lucky enough to never get caught. Growing up, while I was waiting to join; that was the big rule, no joining till your 16, I was always reading or writing to pass the time and once I joined, after the initial excitement wore off, I started to miss writing and realized that that’s what I really wanted to do with my life. I didn’t want to run the streets, I wanted my life to mean something. I wanted it to matter. So, one day I told my dad that I was leaving and of course he was furious. The fact that his own son, next in line to lead his men, wanted to leave? It was a hard pill for him to swallow and he basically disowned me.”

“I’m so sorry, Jug,” Betty said, her hand smoothing over his hair. “What about your mom? Do you have any siblings?”

“I have a sister. My mom took her and moved to Ohio when I was 15 and I only see them about once a year. I thought I’d see more of them after I left the Serpents, but it doesn’t ever work for them, except the annual Christmas trip I make.

“How old is your sister?”

“She’s 19 now. The last time I talked to her she was thinking she wanted to move back to New York but she hasn’t made the move yet, so I’m not sure what she’s thinking.” They didn’t say anything for a while and Betty felt her legs fall asleep so she eased them down on either side of Jughead so his back rested against the bed between them. He grabbed them and pulled one over his shoulder and one sort of wrapped around his arm, holding them gently. She tried not to focus on his hands on her skin, and how it warmed her all over.

“Do you think maybe you should visit him?” she asked softly. “He might need you.”

“Maybe,” Jughead replied, leaning his head to the side to rest against her leg. 

"How did leaving the gang affect you when you went out into the real world?" she asked curiously.

"It was hard at first. I had no job experience and luckily my writing was good enough to land me a couple of freelance jobs that helped me nail bigger ones. You can't exactly put stripping cars and selling pot down as a prior job. Archie got me a job at the bar through his friend and I've just stayed there while I write," he explained. “Tell me about your life in Riverdale,” he said after a while, as if needing to get his mind off his past.

“Well, in a word, it sucked. My whole life my mother was on my ass to do my best, to look my best, to be my best. Look perfect, don’t eat too much, get straight A’s, don’t slouch, don’t frown, don’t talk to loud, don’t chew too loud, take smaller bites, do this, do that, dress like this, don’t dress like that. It was fucking exhausting. She pushed me and my sister so hard that Polly eventually ran away with her boyfriend and then she really started in on me, determined to make sure I turned out perfect. I couldn’t handle it sometimes and I started….”

“You started what?” he asked softly when she stopped talking.

“I started distracting myself when it got to be too much,” she whispered. Jughead’s hand started rubbing her leg gently.

“How?” 

Betty leaned forward and held her hand in front of him and slowly opened her palm and he looked at the old faint scars and the one tiny new one. He took her hand and gently brushed his thumb over the surface and then pulled it to his mouth and pressed a soft kiss to it.

“I’m sorry she made you do this again. I’m sorry she’s still trying to control you,” Jughead said softly. 

“After high school she wanted me to go to school and be a journalist like she was. She said it was a respectable career where we can change the world. I didn’t want that. I loved books, specifically old books and antiques and I wanted nothing more than to find a career where I could lose myself in them. Of course she fought me on that and I went to college and took all the required courses to study journalism while I made my plan, so to speak,” Betty let out with a laugh. "While the town was busy freaking out over all that had happened with the blossom’s, I was making plans for when I turned 21. When that happened and I was able, on my own, to access my inheritance, I took all the money and fled to New York. I’ve been here for 4 years and my mother is still furious and berates me every chance she gets.”

“You know,” Jughead said softly. “You could always change your number.”

“I’ve never had the guts, cutting all ties with my mother, but now, after she showed no sympathy for her own daughter having had something so awful happen to her, I think I will. There is no love in her, only control and I think I’m finally done,” Betty said sadly. “I’m going to disconnect my landline tomorrow and just use my cell from now on. She doesn’t have the number and it’s unlisted. I’ll send her a post card every year to let her know I’m alive.” Jughead chuckled at that and turned his head and placed a soft kiss on the side of her knee and she shivered at the softness of his lips. 

“Well,” he said with a sigh. “Aren’t we a couple of sad saps.” Betty smiled and leaned down and hugged him from behind. She kissed his cheek and rested the side of her head against his. 

“What can I do to make you feel better?” she asked. Jughead leaned to the side a little and smiled at her.

“Well, a really good kiss that I can sink into would be nice,” he said with a twinkle in his eyes. “And maybe I could touch your boob?” She looked at him in surprise and saw he was teasing and she burst into a flurry of giggles.

“Well,” she said when she pulled herself together. “I could maybe help you with that kiss.” Jughead reached back and grabbed her and pulled her over his shoulder and she let out a surprised shriek and suddenly she was in his lap. 

“What? No boob touch?” he asked, pretending to be hurt. Betty grinned and bit her lip. 

“Well, maybe you can touch it a little,” she giggled. “You know, to make you feel better. Like a test to see if it will work.”

“Like….for science?” Jughead asked with a grin. 

“Sounds like a perfectly sound reason.” 

“Well, what if I told you that I think you have nice boobs and I just want to touch them?” he teased. 

“That’s a good reason too,” she said, sounding a little breathless. Jughead grin slipped and his eyes darkened a little and she held his gaze, a soft smile on her lips. His eyes flickered down to her mouth and then back up and he let out a little sigh.

“I better not,” he said softly. “I may want to touch even more then.” Betty fought the urge to tell him he could touch whatever he wanted but she refrained. “I will take that kiss though,” he murmured, his eyes on her mouth.

“To feel better,” she whispered.

“To feel better,” he replied. Betty didn’t take the time to think that they were playing a dangerous game and lying to themselves, she just leaned in and pressed her mouth to his. Jughead returned her kiss immediately, his hand coming up to slide into her hair and he took over, his mouth taking full possession of hers. When his tongue slid over her lip, she opened immediately and moaned softly when he dipped into her mouth, then pulled back, teasing her. He kept at it until she grabbed his shoulders and pulled herself closer, shifting so she was straddling his lap. She took his face in her hands and slid her tongue into his mouth and his groan made her hips buck against him and she trembled when she felt his body come to life.

“Fuck,” he muttered against her mouth, his hands grabbing her hips and dragging her against him. Betty pressed closer, the ache between her legs needing relief and she settled her hands in his hair, kissing him eagerly, trying to feed the hunger flaring to life inside her. Jughead’s mouth left hers and trailed down her neck, his tongue licking her skin and she whimpered when he found her pulse point and sucked lightly on it, his hands sliding up her sides and back down over her bare thighs and back up. Her shirt had ridden up a little and he smoothed over the exposed skin of her back, letting his hand slide up under the material. 

Betty let out a small gasp and he pulled back, his eyes dark and needy, his breathing heavy. She held his gaze, her hands moving down his front and sliding under his shirt, trailing over the hard planes of his stomach and she felt them contract under her touch. He was hard, pressed intimately against her and she instinctively rolled her hips and he clenched his jaw, his hands digging into her skin. Their eyes were glued together and when his hands slid around to her front and up, she bit her lip when his thumbs brushed the underside of her breasts.

She leaned her forehead against his, her breathing unsteady and she whimpered when he stroked against her again, his thumbs a little higher this time. She kissed him again, moving against him, and when his thumb brushed lightly over her nipple she bucked against him with a shudder. He did it again and groaned into her mouth when the nipple hardened and she leaned into his touch. His hands moved and cupped her gently, squeezing as his mouth moved down her neck again, this time moving a little lower and trailing soft kisses across the top of her chest. 

He moved suddenly and she let out a gasp when he somehow pushed himself up, still holding her close to him and fell back on his bed, rolling until she was under him. Betty wrapped her arms and legs around him, the weight of him on top of her both overwhelming and thrilling. She pulled at his shirt and he leaned back to pull it off and her hands flew over his skin, moaning and straining against him when his teeth bit into her swell of her breast peeking out of her camisole. 

“Oh my god, Jug,” she gasped, lifting herself, rubbing against him, the fire in her veins roaring to life. He came back up and took her mouth, his tongue sliding in and tangling with hers as his hand slid under her bra, seeming desperate to feel the bare hard nipple against his skin. His thumb stroked over it and her nails dug into his back. She felt so desperate for more that she lost her head a little, her hands moving to grasp her camisole and pulling it over her head and somehow she managed to pull her bra off as well and then his mouth covered her, sucking her tight peak into its warmth. “Holy fuck,” she gasped, arching into him, her hair clenching in his hair. “Jug,” she let out in a sob of pleasure as she rolled against him, his mouth moving over to the other one and taking it in his mouth. 

“Fuck,” he groaned against her skin as he bucked against her.

“Yes,” she whimpered, unsure if she was agreeing or asking him to. It seemed to pull him out of his desperate haze and he went still against her, his breathing harsh and heavy and he slowly lifted his head.

“Jesus Christ,” he muttered, a look of disbelief on his face at their current position. Betty tried to breathe steady but found it difficult with him still pressed against her. “What are we doing?” he whispered.

“I don’t…..I don’t know,” she whispered back. “You wanted a kiss,” she offered lamely. Jughead smiled and dear lord the man was sexy.

“I think I took a little more than a kiss,” he smiled and she blushed. 

“I gave it,” she corrected.

“We need to stop,” he said softly. “I mean, I know you want to sleep with me, but…” he was cut off with her smack on his chest and he let out a chuckle. 

“You’re such a brat,” she sighed, trying to reign in her hormones. “But you’re right, we should stop. I just…we just….”

“We were vulnerable, the mood was right, we were comforting each other…” he offered as he shifted and reached for her camisole. 

“Right, it was all that,” she nodded in agreement as she covered herself, even though her heart was still racing a mile a minute. They stilled and studied each other for a moment.

“But just so you know, you’re going to want to sleep with me at some point and I’ll be happy to indulge you,” he winked. Betty rolled her eyes and shoved him off her. She didn’t bother telling him she already wanted him to sleep with her. Jughead chuckled and lay back on the pillows and she lay back beside him. 

“You still have a tent,” she said casually.

“And you probably need to change your panties,” he shot back and then started laughing when she turned beet red.

“You’re an ass,” she sighed.

“Is your shoulder okay?” he asked, suddenly remembering her injury.

“It aches a little but I’ll be alright.” He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close and kissed the side of her head. “Jug, if you’re thinking about seeing your father and you need some support, I’ll go with you,” she added after a moment of silence.

“Okay,” he said softly, his fingers making circles on her arm. They lay silently until she fell asleep, pressed against him and her last thought was how good his mouth had felt on her skin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Archie lights a fuse in the next chapter and Jughead and Betty are forced to examine what they are doing!


	7. Breaking the Rules

Betty woke the next morning to the feel of Jughead’s lips caressing her neck, his hand stroking slowly and lightly over her hip. They were spooning and her back was flush against his chest and she felt the evidence of their close proximity against her back. 

“Jug?” she said softly.

“Hmmmm?” he murmured against her skin and she shivered.

“What is that?” she questioned, knowing the answer as she moved against him.

“Sorry baby, it’s the morning,” he chuckled, nudging back.

“And what is your hand and mouth doing?”

“Exploring.”

“Are you trying to take advantage of me?” Betty asked with a smile.

“Never, Betts. I want you willing and begging,” he breathed against her ear.

“Jesus,” she choked out as his hand brushed along her thigh. She was on the verge of turning around and plastering herself all over him and she let out a frustrated sigh. “Jug?”

“Yes?” he spoke gruffly, his mouth grazing her jaw.

“Get off me.”

“Spoil sport,” he chuckled, his tongue flicking her earlobe before he retreated. She rolled onto her back and glared at him and he grinned in return.

“Are you trying to drive me insane?” she asked.

“I don’t know, am I?” he returned with a wink. She tried not to stare at his mouth; the same mouth that was fastened to her breasts the night before and she prayed that he wasn’t thinking about it either. She felt heat stir inside her and she scrambled for something to get her mind off it.

“Are we going to see your dad today?” she blurted out. He raised an eyebrow.

“Wow, you sure know how to kill a mood,” he laughed.

“Sorry,” she grimaced, realizing it wasn’t the right time to bring that up, but since she had already said it…..”I meant what I said last night, Jug. I’ll go with you if you need me to.” Jughead flopped back on the bed and tucked his hand under his head, staring at the ceiling.

“I guess I should go,” he muttered with a sigh.

“You should,” she agreed. “If something happened to him, you would regret not going.”

“I know,” Jughead admitted. “You want to go after lunch?”

“Of course,” Betty smiled, taking his hand. He squeezed it and they lay quietly beside each other, their hands clasped between them. Betty thought about the intimacy of the moment, holding hands in bed, laying in comfortable silence after the heated exchange earlier. They had a connection, she wasn’t going to deny that ever and part of her was afraid that if they gave in to what they clearly both wanted, that somehow they would fuck it up and she would lose him. 

Lose him. It dawned on her then. She didn’t want to lose him. Ever.

“Jug?” 

“Betty?”

“Let’s go eat breakfast,” she suggested with a smile. They climbed out of bed and Betty headed to her room to get dressed and then headed to the kitchen and Jughead wanted bacon and eggs and cereal and she looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

“Who eats cereal with bacon and eggs?” she asked.

“It’s an appetizer,” he said with a grin as he poured himself a bowl of cheerios. He settled at the island to eat and watched as she opened the fridge to look through the stash of food for the bacon she had. 

“I’ll get the bacon going and then go comb my wasp nest hair,” she laughed. 

“Looks good,” Jughead commented when he looked at it. He didn’t have a clue what she meant because to him it always looked good. She kept moving things in the fridge and didn’t say anything to his compliment. She found the bacon and it took her only a minute to set it on the pan.

“I’m glad you don’t just eat grass,” Jughead commented as he ate his cereal.

“Grass?”

“You know, like rabbit food, salads all the time.”

“Oh, well, I did that growing up,” Betty explained. “My mother was constantly on me about my weight and watching what I eat and now I eat whatever the hell I want. I probably shouldn’t though, it’ll start showing on my ass soon and I already hate how it looks.” She was looking into the fridge right then for the eggs and Jughead took the opportunity to check out the object of the conversation.

“I don’t hate your ass,” he commented casually. “If it should happen to start filling out and your jeans get a little tighter, I wouldn’t hate that either.” Betty straightened and turned to look at him.

“Shut up” she said with an eye roll, trying unsuccessfully to keep from blushing. He grinned and she threw an orange at him and headed to the bathroom.

“Just give in Betty,” he called after her as she walked down the hall.

“I’m not sleeping with you Jughead!” she shouted back.

“Spoil sport.” 

Jughead smiled into his cereal when he heard her mutter something back that wasn’t quite interpretable. He kind of hoped she said she would give in eventually. He had a chuckle and when she came back out, her hair looking a little smoother and just as pretty, he had to work hard to not stare at her. God, she was beautiful and he wanted her so bad, it was pathetic. His body twitched a little when he remembered where his mouth had been the night before and he wanted nothing more than to carry her back to bed and do it again. 

He had been making it pretty obvious that he wanted her without actually coming right out and saying it but the last thing he wanted to do was freak her out or scare her away. She was important to him and he didn’t want to fuck up what they had, but he had come to a point where he wanted more. He wanted all of her and he wasn’t sure how to go about getting it without just blurting it out and hoping she felt the same. He had upped his game and he knew that she realized it was only an illusion of teasing and the way she reacted to him last night, she wanted him just as much. Now it was a frustrating waiting game and trying not to ruin everything.

“What are you thinking about?” Betty suddenly asked, breaking him out of his haze.

“Umm….going to see my dad,” he said quickly, feeling suddenly flustered, a feeling that wasn’t new to him, but it was new around her. He usually felt pretty confident when he was around Betty. She looked at him in amusement.

“Okay, what were you really thinking about?” she asked. Jughead smirked at her and shook his head, taking his last spoonful of cereal as she finished making the rest of his breakfast. “Nope, I read the roommate bible when you weren’t looking. Roommates must always tell the truth, no matter what.”

“You sure about that being a rule?” he challenged. “I could ask you some funky shit.” She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him.

“Fine,” Jughead sighed. “I was thinking about where my mouth was last night.” Betty turned beet red.

“It was nice,” she said, shocking him speechless with her blushing admission as she quickly turned to finish breakfast. Oh, he was well aware that she liked it, her admitting it on the other hand was what he would take as _a step forward_.

They finished breakfast and cleaned it up and Jughead called one of his former gang members for more info and then calling an Uber, they were on their way. Jughead sat next to her, looking out the car window, his leg bouncing nervously and Betty undid her seatbelt and slid over so she was pressed against him, grabbing his hand.

“It’s going to be okay, Juggie,” she said softly, squeezing his hand. He turned to look at her and the vulnerability in his eyes shook her a little. He always looks so confident and at ease and seeing him almost afraid took some getting used to. He lowered his head and rested it against hers, seeming to draw strength from her. 

“I haven’t talked to him in 3 years,” he admitted quietly. “The last time we spoke, it was his last attempt to get me to come back and when I refused he told me I was dead to him.”

“Oh Jug,” Betty whispered. She had her own issues with her mother but they hadn’t yet reached that point where they were dead to each other and now that she thought about it, on a level deep inside, it had to hurt a lot. These parents that were supposed to be their biggest cheerleaders, hurting them for their own gain. She touched his cheek and pulled his face to hers and kissed him. It was comfort and he drank it in. After a few moments, she pulled away and smiled at him. “I’ll be right beside you, I promise.” 

The look in Jughead’s eyes made her heart race. There was no smirking and teasing and flirting, it was longing and she felt it in her core. He wanted her. He wasn’t just playing around and teasing. He wanted her as much as she wanted him. His arm went around her and she snuggled into his side and she realized how well she fit against him. Almost as if she was made for him. 

They arrived at the hospital his father was in and after acquiring his room number, they headed up the elevator in silence. Jughead clung to her hand and Betty rubbed his arm reassuringly. When they stepped off and walked the halls and found his room, they paused outside the door as Jughead needed to get a hold of his emotions.

“You know, I haven’t spoken to him in 3 years, like I said, but I haven’t seen him in 4 years and now I’m wondering if all this bullshit is what got him here,” Jughead sighed.

“Don’t do that,” Betty said quickly, touching his face and forcing him to look at her. “This is not the time for blame and regrets.”

“Okay,” he said with a small smile and still holding her hand, pushed open the door to his father’s room.

The man lying in the hospital bed looked in surprise at them when they came in and had she not known who he was, Betty would have known he was related to Jughead. He was basically an older version of him, still very handsome for his older age. His gaze locked on his son and she saw him swallow, a look of regret crossing his face. When his eyes moved down to their clasped hands and then to her she instinctively moved closer to Jughead and the man got a curious expression on his face. He looked back to Jughead and gave him a small smile.

“Hi son,” he said, his voice low and gravely.

“Hey dad,” Jughead said, moving closer to the bed with Betty. She stayed by his side, keeping a firm hold on his hand.

Jughead felt unsure. He could tell his father was surprised to see him and for a moment he let himself get angry at the fact that they were so at odds that he wasn’t even expecting his own son to see him.

“SweetPea and Fangs told me you were here,” he explained, seeing the question on his father’s face. “I don’t suppose you sent them?”

“No, I didn’t,” the older man said honestly. “I didn’t think you’d come anyway.”

“So, what happened?”

“Getting old I guess, had myself a heart attack,” FP shrugged.

“You’re not old,” Jughead sighed. “You still drinking?”

“You can’t ease into the interrogation?” his dad laughed, then winced and coughed. He suddenly looked old and worn out and Jughead felt a pang of sadness go through him. He used to think he father was larger than life and could conquer the world. Once he got himself settled, he looked at Betty and then back to Jughead.

“Is this your girlfriend?” FP asked curiously.

“She’s my…..we’re just…..” For the first time, Jughead stumbled and was at a loss of what to say.

“It’s complicated,” Betty said softly, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. Jughead looked at her in surprise. So that’s where they were now. No man’s land. But, it also wasn’t in friends/roommates land. He guessed having his mouth all over her chest kind pushed them past that.

“Well, sometimes complicated is the most fun,” FP said with a wink. Jughead rolled his eyes when Betty let out a small smile. 

“Alright, we’re not here to talk about me,” Jughead said gruffly and FP raised an eyebrow.

“Why not? Nothing else for me to say about having a heart attack. I had a heart attack. Was probably lifestyle choices.”

“Why do you care about my life all of a sudden? Last time we talked you…”

/“I said you were dead to me,” FP finished quietly and Jughead felt his stomach clench with anger.

“Jug,” Betty said quietly, asking for his attention and he looked at her. “Would you like some coffee?” It was her way of asking if he needed time alone with his father. Jughead nodded and she smiled before turning back to his dad. “My name’s Betty,” she offered before she left the room.

“She seems lovely,” FP said with a smile.

“Just stop,” Jughead snapped. “Stop acting like you care.” His father sighed and closed his eyes for a moment.

“Why are you here, Jughead?” he asked.

“Because I was told my father had a heart attack and I figured it was the right thing to do.”

“So not because you actually want to be here?”

“Why would I want to be here?” Jughead asked. “You fucking disowned me because I wanted a better life for myself.”

“I know, and I’m sorry….”

“I mean you…….wait, what?”

“I’m sorry Jughead,” FP said again, his face filled with regret. Jughead blinked, thinking he was imagining it. There was never a time in his life where he had seen his father regret anything, or even show any kind of vulnerability. “In all honesty, my health hasn’t been the greatest over the last year and I’ve been meaning to reach out but I guess my pride got in the way and when I had the heart attack a couple of days ago….I just….my chest was in this vice and all I could think was that I was going to die with my son hating me, I was going to die having not spoken to my son in years, having not seen you in years and I just….I’m sorry son.” Jughead felt frozen to his spot, unsure of what to think or feel. He certainly hadn’t expected this and he certainly hadn’t expected to see his father looking almost broken in body and spirit.

“You weren’t even going to tell me that you were in here,” he said, not knowing what else to say at the moment.

“Well, what I said was that I never sent Pea and Fangs. I also said I didn’t think you’d come anyway. I didn’t say I wasn’t going to swallow my pride and call you myself,” FP replied. Jughead pulled his hat off and sat down on the edge of the bed, staring at the knit crown and twirling it in his hands. “I know I said some harsh things to you Jughead, when you left, but it shocked me and I felt abandoned once again, like I felt after you mother left.” Jughead looked at him in surprise. 

“But I didn’t go anywhere, I’m still here. All I did was leave the gang and we could have carried on just fine.”

“Yeah, well, in my head it was betrayal and abandonment and as a father, I should have maybe tried to figure out a way to be a part of your life and to allow you to find your own path, but I was selfish Jughead. I wanted you beside me. I thought we made a great team,” FP explained.

“We didn’t though,” Jughead interjected. “You knew I was unhappy. I rarely participated in anything with the gang. I just didn’t want that life.”

“I know and I should have let you go instead of acting like a child throwing a tantrum.” Jughead looked at him and let out a laugh.

“Yeah, telling me I was dead to you was pretty childish and it hurt, a lot.” 

“I’m really sorry, really. And I’m really proud of you Jughead, for everything you’ve accomplished,” FP said. Jughead looked at him in confusion.

“How do you know what I’ve accomplished?”

“I kept tabs on you and found out what magazines you wrote for. Your article on life after being in a gang was a hard read. It really made me feel like an asshole.”

“Good,” Jughead laughed, starting to feel the tightness in his chest ease. He looked at his father, deciding it was time to put his bitterness behind him. “I’m sorry you’re sick,” he said quietly. 

“I’ll be alright,” FP chuckled. “I’ve decided to quit drinking.” Jughead raised an eyebrow. “Maybe my son could help me out,” he added quietly. “I guess maybe this heart attack wasn’t all bad.”

“Why do you say that?” Jughead asked.

“Well, you’re here and we’re talking, so that’s good, right?”

“Yeah…” 

“So, tell me about Betty? Why is it complicated?” FP asked.

“We’re roommates,” Jughead said, as if that would explain everything.

“Ahhhh I see. So you’re kind of stuck not wanting to screw up a great living situation by having it become something more and possibly failing?” Jughead laughed. His father had always been pretty intuitive.

“Yeah, something like that.”

“You like her?”

“More than a guy should like his roommate who isn’t his girlfriend.”

“So, do something about it,” his father said with a smile. “She seems like a good one.”

“You literally know nothing about her,” Jughead scoffed.

“Well, if you like her, she must be a good one.”

There was a soft knock at the door and Betty came back holding a cup of coffee and Jughead got up and smiled at her. She handed him the cup with a smile of her own and turned to FP who was watching them curiously.

“You look tired,” she commented softly. “You two managed to talk?”

“Yeah,” the older man smiled. “It was nice meeting you Betty. Maybe we can meet up again sometime when I’m not bed ridden.”

“That would be nice.”

“Well, maybe we should let you rest now,” Jughead suggested and FP nodded around a yawn.

“I’ll rest a little easier now,” he admitted and Jughead reached out and squeezed his shoulder.

“I’ll see you soon,” he said softly and then left the room with Betty. Outside in the hall he paused and leaned against the wall and let his head fall back. “That was a lot,” he muttered.

“Did it go well?”

“Yeah, he said he was sorry, which is pretty huge for him.”

“That’s great Jug,” Betty said, touching his arm.

“I never told him I forgive him but I think I’ll be able to at some point,” Jughead said with a sigh. “It really was a lot.”

“Well,” she said cheerfully and grabbing his hand. “Why don’t we go home and eat ice cream in our pajamas and watch a movie that sucks so we can make fun of it.” Jughead grinned and wrapped his arm around her shoulder and led her down the hall.

“That sounds great, hon,” he said happily.

 

The following week passed in a blur of work and sleep. Betty had work piled up because of her time off and because her arm and shoulder were still sore, even if it wasn’t her prominent arm, she had to slow it down to do her book restorations and she put in a couple of extra hours of work every day to try to catch up. Ginny, who had mended things with her boyfriend, who thankfully had decided to stop being an ass and agreed to wait for her, had kept the store running smoothly while she was gone but was nonetheless happy to have her back. Most days, Betty came home, ate a sandwich and fell into bed.

Jughead was once again on the late shift at the bar and they never saw each other, their schedules just not jiving. He missed her a lot and found himself sending her texts every chance he got but she was so busy and tired that he would usually only get a couple of cute responses before she fell asleep and he’d find her replies in the morning apologizing for falling asleep. He decided the next time they had a day off, he was going to take her out and make sure she had a great time.

Every night when he came home around midnight, he wanted more than anything to just go crawl into bed with her but he also didn’t want to scare her awake and so he just slept in his own bed, missing the feel of her pressed against him. He visited his dad almost every day until he got released and twice he went to Betty’s work and she could only break for a fast lunch once. He remembered her tight hug when he had brought her back to work and her lingering kiss on his cheek. He wanted to kiss her pouting pretty mouth but since Ginny was watching them like a hawk he decided to refrain.

The day they had first gone to see his father, they had come home and she had curled up in his lap and they’d watched a movie. Nothing had happened, he didn’t even try and kiss her, just needing to hold her to get him past the events of the day and he had mostly been lost in his thoughts about all that his father had said and how it seemed their relationship might be on the mend. He still wasn’t able to tell him with words that he forgave him and he was glad FP understood and didn’t push for it. Betty had been a comfort that he held on to for most of the night. She hadn’t tried to say the right thing, or ask him any questions, she had simply just let him hold her.

Now, he just missed her and it was Friday night and he had the night off and when she walked into the apartment after work, rather late, at 7pm, he just couldn’t help himself and he picked her up in a bear hug and she laughed and hugged him back.

“God, I missed you,” he breathed into her hair. Betty wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. 

“I missed you too,” she smiled. 

“How about I take you out,” he suggested, keeping her pressed against him. “Dinner and movie or a walk in the park or whatever the hell you want.”

“Juggie, are you asking me on a date?” she asked with a pretty blush. 

“Would you say yes if I was?” he questioned, a warm glint in his eye. She bit her lip and studied his face and he wanted to pull her lip loose and suck on it a little. A loud knock on the door made her jump and he slowly lowered her and she went to open the door.

“Hey kids,” Archie said with a grin and walked into the apartment. “How are you guys?” 

“Good,” they said at the same time. 

“So, table for 4 at Chino’s, reservation for 8:00, lets go,” Archie said with a clap of his hands. 

“Oh,” Betty said in excitement, her face lighting. “I love that place!! We can be ready in 10!” 

“Oh, I…” Archie grimaced and looked at her a little sheepishly. “I actually meant just Jughead…” he said lamely. Jughead furrowed his brow in confusion. 

“What?” he asked. 

“I um….well, there’s this chick I asked out and she wouldn’t go unless I brought a guy for her friend….” Archie said slowly, looking between them and shrugging. Jughead looked at Betty and her face fell and she looked slightly embarrassed and he couldn’t quite decipher the look that crossed her face as she looked at him and then quickly looked down. 

“Oh, okay…” she said quickly. 

“No thanks,” Jughead said just as quickly, turning back to Archie. “Seriously dude, a double date? What the fuck?” 

“Oh, you guys had plans, or you’re…” 

“No, no we didn’t,” Betty said, her face red and her eyes avoiding Jughead. “You should go Jug. It’s a great place and we wouldn’t want to ruin Archie’s date.” She turned on her heel and quickly retreated to her bedroom. Jughead stared after her in surprise and then turned and glared at Archie. 

“Seriously?? What the fuck are you doing?” he snapped. 

“Okay, maybe I should have called or checked with you but I finally convinced her and I promised I’d bring…..” Archie started and then sighed. “Did I interrupt something? Are you and Betty involved or something, or…” 

“No, we’re…fuck….i don’t know, but this is bullshit and sorry but I’m not going!” Jughead growled as he made his way to Betty’s room and hammered on the door. She opened it and looked at him. “What are you doing?” he asked in frustration, running a hand through his hair. 

“What do you mean?” she asked softly, not meeting his eyes. 

“I don’t want to go on a fucking double date Betty, and I don’t want you to want me to go!” 

“I don’t,” she said softly. 

“Then why are you telling me to go? I haven’t seen you all week and I missed you and I thought we could spend the evening together.” 

“I’m tired anyway and Archie seems to really like that girl,” she said nervously. 

“You can’t be serious,” Jughead huffed. “He seems to like every girl.” 

“Well, you’re his best friend and you should help him out,” Betty insisted firmly, meeting his gaze, her eyes determined, and a little sad. 

“Betty, I wanted to do something with you tonight,” Jughead insisted. 

“It’s fine Jug, we can do the roommate thing another night,” she said with a nod. 

“The roommate thing?” he asked in confusion. “Seriously?” She gave him a small smile and nodded. 

“Have fun,” she whispered and slowly closed the door. Jughead felt his gut clench in anger. He was sick of this tiptoeing around the issue of what they were and if he wasn’t such a chicken shit he would demand to know what she wanted but fuck, they were adults, they should be able to have a normal conversation without having to demand answers. 

“Fine,” he snapped through the door and banged his hand against it. He knew he was being childish but he was too pissed off too care and he went into his room and threw on some clean clothes and headed out to the kitchen. “Let’s go,” he snapped. Archie looked unsure. 

“Okay, listen,” he started. “I only did this because you haven’t said anything has changed between you and Betty and you’re still just roommates but if this is going to cause a problem…” 

“It’s fine, let’s go,” Jughead insisted and opened the door and left the apartment. 

“God, these two are fucking idiots,” Archie muttered as he followed. 

Chino’s was great, just like Betty had said and Jughead looked at his date and he should have been enjoying himself but he just felt miserable. She was beautiful and a few months ago he might have been interested in getting to know her but as he looked at her dark curls and red lips, all he wanted to look at was blonde waves and pink lips and his gut clenched as he forced a smile as the woman told him about what she did for a living. 

“So, what do you do for work?” she asked, her voice a near purr as she leaned close and fluttered her lashes. Jughead felt like laughing and he glanced at Archie who was too busy whispering in his dates ear to notice how uncomfortable he was. 

“I’m a writer,” he said with a small smile. 

“Oh cool, like books or something?” the woman asked. Jughead looked at her and for the life of him couldn’t remember her name. 

“Or something,” he muttered, taking a sip of his drink. After another half an hour of mindless boring chatter by the woman, they were finally finished and headed outside to catch a cab. 

“So, Melanie and I are going to catch our own cab, so thanks for joining us,” Archie said to him with a knowing look and Jughead glared at him. 

“You’re fucking ditching me with her?” he growled under his breath. Archie sighed and pulled him off to the side. 

“Look, don’t think that I didn’t notice that you were miserable the entire dinner so I’m only saying this as your best friend Jug, but seriously, get your shit together. If you like Betty and want something more with her, then fucking tell her and stop whatever this bullshit dance is that you’re doing because it’s very obvious that you want to be with her and maybe she’s just waiting for you to man up and tell her,” he said firmly. Jughead said nothing and soon was standing alone on the street with a woman he didn’t want to be with. 

“So, what should we do now?” she asked, her voice soft and husky as she sidled up to him. Jughead sighed and turned to her. 

“Look, I’m really sorry, but I’m just not interested in any kind of relationship right now,” he explained, trying to let her down easy. He was surprised when she laughed. 

“Oh sweetheart,” she giggled and he almost winced at her blatant attempt at seduction. “I’m not interested in that either,” she murmured, her hand settling on his chest. “But my place is just around the corner if you want to relief a little stress,” she suggested, her meaning obvious. Jughead let out a laugh and stepped away so her hand fell from his chest. 

“I’m sorry, I’m just not interested,” he said, hoping he didn’t sound like an asshole. She tilted her head and studied him a moment and then smiled. 

“Well, I can walk from here,” she said slowly. 

“No, I can walk you home, it’s late” Jughead insisted and she shrugged and he walked the two blocks with her in silence until they stood in front of her building. “Good night,” he offered. 

“You know,” she began. “Whoever this woman is that has you all twisted in knots, I hope it works out for you.” She walked into her building and he looked after her in surprise. He sighed and closed his eyes, shoving his hands in his pockets. He turned and started walking, keeping his eyes peeled for a cab. Yeah, he hoped so too. 

Betty was curled up on her bed when she heard Jughead come home. She glanced at the time and noted that he’d been gone for 3 hours. Not that she had been keeping track like an idiot. She let out a sigh and gripped her pillow to her chest. She had been laying here the entire time, all sorts of emotions running through her. Regret, longing, jealousy, want. She didn’t know why she couldn’t just tell him that she wanted him, that she wanted to go on a date with him, that she wanted to kiss him and touch him and be with him. Well she did know. She was terrified. What if it didn’t work out and he left? She would lose her roommate, her friend, her everything. 

She lay quietly and listened to him putter around the kitchen and then him walking to his room. She held her breath when she heard his footsteps pause outside her door and then let it out in a shaky sigh as he continued on to his. She lay in bed a while longer, and when she couldn’t stand it anymore, she got up and left her room. Betty stood outside Jughead’s door for a moment, trying to calm herself and then knocked softly before pushing it open. She didn’t wait for him to say anything or to invite her in, she simply walked over to his bed and climbed under the covers, sliding up against him and wrapping her arm around his waist. His arm settled around her and pulled her close, her face pressed against his neck. Neither spoke for a while. 

“Did you have a good time?” she whispered after a long while. 

“No,” he whispered back. Betty let out a relieved sigh and pressed her lips to his skin. He smelled amazing and his skin tasted good. 

“I’m sorry, Jug,” she whispered against his skin and he rolled so she was on her back and he hovered over her. He searched her face, as if he was looking for something. He was so beautiful to her and she couldn’t help but lift her head and press a soft kiss to his mouth. He looked like he’d wanted to say something but as soon as her mouth touched his he immediately kissed her back, his mouth hungry and eager as he pressed her back into the pillow. Betty grasped his face and moaned when his tongue slid along her lips and she opened immediately, letting it slide into her mouth. 

Jughead’s hand settled on her hips for a moment, his other arm sliding under her neck and he pulled her even closer. When his mouth left hers and moved down her neck, she shifted restlessly and his hand slid lightly along her bare thigh and she was glad she was wearing shorts because his hand set her skin on fire. The kind of fire that settled in her veins. When his hand slide up her side, she pulled his head back up wanting his kiss, her hands sliding into his hair. With his tongue sliding against and tangling with hers, his hand slipped under her thin camisole and she trembled when his fingers brushed the underside of her breast and he groaned into her mouth when he realized she wasn’t wearing a bra. 

"Jug," she whispered when his mouth left hers and he stilled and looked at her. She ran her thumb over his cheek and she felt her chin tremble. "You're really important to me." 

“You're really important to me too," he whispered back. She smiled and he lowered his mouth to hers again. It wasn’t as frantic as it had been a week earlier and he moved cautiously, this time waiting for her go ahead before he did anything, his fingertips sliding across her skin along the side of her breast. Betty whimpered and twisted into his touch and he gently cupped her breast, his thumb sliding across her nipple. He kept kissing her, his thumb making slow circles until it was hard and straining and she felt the heat low in her abdomen, settling between her thighs and she pressed them together, trying to find some relief. Then his mouth moved down and he paused for a moment to suck at her pulse, before leaving feather light kisses across the top of her chest, his tongue sliding along the swell of her breast. 

“Jug,” she gasped, her hand gripping his hair and he stilled, his mouth resting against the swell, waiting for her to decide. His breathing was harsh, his breath hot against her skin. He flicked his thumb lightly against her nipple and she shuddered in response. He did it again and she arched into the touch, desperate for some kind of relief for the pinched, taunt peak. “Please,” she whimpered, the meaning in the pleading of her voice clear. Jughead pulled her shirt up and over her breasts and lowered his head, his tongue sliding over her nipple and she gasped as he circled it and then took it in his mouth. “Oh my god,” she whispered, arching into his mouth. 

Jughead shifted, his leg moving between hers, his thigh pressing against her core and she let out a groan as she pressed herself against him, trying to relieve the impossible ache that got worse with every lick and suck of his mouth. He released the nipple with a wet pop and a groan and moved over to the other one while she strained against his thigh that he pressed against her in rhythm with her body’s movements. Her moans only encouraged him and he raked his teeth across her nipple, his other hand grasping her hips and dragging her along his thigh. After a moment he shifted so he lay between her legs and instead of his thigh, he pressed his rock hard erection on her center, rocking his body against her in a steady rhythm. Even through her shorts and his pajama pants, the pressure was unbelievably arousing. 

“Holy shit,” she cried out as the tension built to unbearable and he lifted his head and took her mouth in a lusty wet kiss, his hand moving to squeeze her breast, his fingers pinching her nipple and his body rubbing against her and then, to her shock, Betty fell apart, an orgasm ripping through her as she pressed against him and Jughead released her mouth and lifted his head, staring down at her, her face glazed with surprise and ecstasy. “Oh my god,” she whispered, her body shaking as she pressed against him. 

“Fuck,” he groaned, feeling her heat through his pajama pants and he wanted nothing more than to rip off their clothing and bury himself inside her, imagining how wet she must be as she fell apart. Betty pressed her face against his neck, flushed and mortified. Her body was buzzing and she couldn’t seem to catch her breath. “Are you alright?” he asked softly, lifting away from her, even as he ached to take her. 

“I..um….okay that hasn’t happened to me since I was a 16 year old who couldn’t control her hormones,” she said with an embarrassed laugh, looking at him finally and swallowing when she saw the heat in the darkened blue of his eyes. 

“So, I make you lose your head, huh?” he teased, a smirk appearing on his face. She rolled her eyes and laughed. She could feel him pressed against her hip and she shifted and he bit back a groan. 

“Do you want…?” she started to ask, her hand moving down his chest to his stomach and he shook his hand and stopped it by grabbing it with his own. 

“I’m okay,” he said with a smile. She pulled her hand away determinedly and ran it over the front of his pajama pants and he dropped his head on her shoulder and let out a groan. Betty rubbed her hand over him and then trailed her hand along the waistband and he lifted his head and looked at her. 

“Is this what you meant by _the roommate thing_?” he asked with a small smile and her hand stilled as she winced at her poor choice of words from earlier. Betty bit her lip and shook her head, her heart hammering in her chest. 

“I want you to take me on a date,” she said softly and she giggled at the grin that broke on his face. 

“Yeah? As your roommate?” She shook her head again. “Like a real date?” Jughead asked softly, touching her face. 

“Yeah, like a real date,” Betty smiled. 

“I’m working tomorrow night, how about Sunday?” he suggested, his smile growing. 

“Sunday it is!” she said happily. Jughead kissed her again and she wrapped herself all around him, hugging him tight. When she moved against him he pulled back and shook his head. 

“No more playing until we go on a date,” he said with a grin. Betty raised an eyebrow, feeling that he very much still wanted her. “Behave,” he warned, turning her so her back was against his chest and she was snuggled in his arms. “Or I’ll make you go back to your room.” 

“I can’t promise I’ll behave until Sunday,” Betty said with a smirk and he chuckled against her ear. 

“Try.” 

Betty didn’t try very hard and by the time Jughead went to work on Saturday night, he was in a seemingly permanent state of arousal. Oh she hadn’t done anything per say, as in, she never touched him or attempted to kiss him or came anywhere near him the entire day but she had made sure to brush against his morning arousal before she climbed out of bed that morning and then proceeded to walk around the apartment in the tiniest fucking shorts he’d ever seen and a crop top that stopped a couple inches below her breasts. Her smiles and winks and sliding away when he couldn’t help himself and reached for her. Her giggles at his frustrated growls. Oh things had definitely shifted and he wondered if they would even make the date before he tore her tiny clothes right off. Finally, he had to go to work and felt a little relieved as his blood was churning with lust and his jeans had been uncomfortable pretty much the entire damn day. 

Once he left for work, Betty put her plan into action. The man had been flirting his ass off for over two months and she was always buzzing and now he dared to hold back until their date. Well, she decided to give him a taste of his own medicine. She took a long bath, making sure the bubble bath she used smelled sensual and sexy and then she got dressed in a sexy short red dress that showed a healthy amount of cleavage and barely reached mid thigh and with her long legs, that meant short. She knew he liked her legs, as he was always staring at them. She chose the smoky eye make up look and left her lips pale, as it made her eyes pop that much more. She slipped into the highest heels she had and let out a giggle when she looked in the mirror. 

“Behave, my ass,” she grinned as she grabbed her purse and headed out the door. Jughead was in for a surprise. Not that the wait till Sunday was so long and he _had_ brought her to a shockingly easy orgasm the night before, but she was tired of flirting around. She wanted it all. She wanted him. 

When she arrived at the bar, she saw him behind the bar, busy filling drink orders and chatting up the customers and she slowly made her way over, ignoring the cat calls she got, her eyes only on him. As if he could sense her eyes on him, he turned and saw her and almost dropped the bottle he was holding. She winked at him and wandered over to her usual seat and sat down. She could tell he was flustered as his usual smooth drink pouring and mixing seemed a little shaky and he ended up spilling several times and she bit her lip to keep from laughing. When he finally had a chance, he came over and rested his hands on the bar, a glare on his face as he leaned towards her. 

“Why are you so fucking naked?” he asked, his eyes raking over what he could see that wasn’t blocked by the bar. 

“Am I?” she teased, trailing a finger across her chest. 

“Christ,” he muttered. “Can I get you a drink?” 

“Hmmm,” Betty murmured while she thought. “How about that cocktail you told me about a while back. The Legspreader, was it? Followed by a Screaming Orgasm shot,” she said seductively. 

“Fucking hell,” he muttered, glaring at her as he went to make the drink. He brought her both drinks and set them in front of her. She took the cocktail and made a show of licking the rim before taking a sip. Jughead let out a sigh and smirked. “Maybe when you’re done that you can order the Slow Comfortable Screw cocktail and follow it with either the Buttery Nipple or the Wet Pussy shot.” Betty choked on her drink and he winked and backed away to help a customer. She giggled when he stumbled and almost fell and decided this was almost too much fun and why she hadn’t done it sooner. 

“Well, hi there pretty lady,” a man suddenly said at her side as he sat in the seat next to her. Betty turned to smile at him and was about to gently inform him that she was with someone when Jughead walked over and planted his hands on the bar and glared at the man. 

“She’s not interested,” he snapped. Betty turned to him and smiled, holding his gaze. 

“I’m not?” she asked sweetly. 

“No, you’re not.” 

“Why not?” she asked curiously, her eyes locked to his. The blue fairly sparked with heat. 

“Because that’s not what you want,” Jughead said gruffly. Betty leaned a little closer, knowing full well it made her cleavage more prominent. 

“And what do I want, Jughead?” she asked, her voice breathless. His gaze dropped briefly to her chest, back to her lips and then back to hold hers before he answered. 

“Me.” 

The man looked between the two of them and frowned. 

“Are you her boyfriend?” he asked Jughead. 

“Not yet,” Jughead replied, still holding Betty’s gaze. The lust in his eyes overwhelmed her and she clenched her thighs together. 

“Are you fucking then?” the man rudely asked. 

“Not yet,” Betty replied in a strangled voice and Jughead's eyes darkened with unfiltered desire. She couldn’t seem to tear her eyes away from his and she jumped slightly when Jughead barked an order to the waitress to take his place for a few, he was taking a break. He walked around the bar and grabbed her hand and practically dragged her to the back of the bar and down a hallway and into an office where she suddenly found herself pinned against the door, his mouth devouring hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself closer and he grabbed her backside, lifting her up and her legs went around his hips. He was hard and she groaned into his mouth as he bucked against her. 

“Fuck, you naughty little tease,” he growled against her skin as he kissed his way down her neck, and lower still, sucking a bruise on the swell of her breast. 

“God, Jug, everyone will see that,” she moaned, even as she held his mouth to her. He dragged his tongue back up to her mouth and slid it inside to stroke hers. Their kiss was wet, hungry, no more holding back, not that they ever really did when it came to kissing. “When do you get off work?” she whimpered when his hand moved up her thigh, pulling her skirt up, his hand sliding under the lace panty on her backside and gripping her smooth flesh. 

“An hour,” he groaned against her mouth when she rubbed her aching core against him. 

“I want you,” she moaned, no longer caring to hide it, her eager hands tugging on his shirt, trying to get underneath. 

“God damn,” he muttered, stilling against her and trying to catch his breath. He stepped back and she slowly lowered to the floor and straightened her dress. His look set her entire being on fire. 

“One hour,” he said, his jaw clenched with need. She nodded and tried to calm her breathing. He led her back to her seat and she sat flushed and aroused while he tended bar, the looks he kept throwing her way, heated and sexy. It was the slowest hour Betty had ever experienced. Every time he came over to chat, they tried to keep it light because the tension was so thick, they were choking with it. 

Finally he could leave and they foolishly decided to walk and half way home, he dragged her into an alley and once again his tongue was in her mouth and his hands up her dress. 

“Jughead, we need to get home,” she whimpered, even as she strained against him. 

“Next time you come to the bar and do this, I’m bending you over the desk in the office,” he growled, pulling back to stare at her. 

“Promise?” she giggled. 

“Okay, what the hell happened between you ordering me to go on a date and now?” he asked in confusion. “Not that I’m complaining, mind you.” 

“I realized I was being a fucking idiot and shoving the guy I wanted at another woman and there’s nothing like laying in bed for three hours in jealous misery to cure that mistake. Also, you gave me a mind blowing orgasm without even being in my panties and if you can do that, I can only assume if you ever do get in my panties, the orgasm will be earth shattering.” 

“Jesus,” he groaned, stepping back and grabbing her hand. 

“I’m not sure he’d be very interested in any of this,” Betty teased. Jughead stared at her in surprise. 

“You’re going to hell,” he muttered as he hurried toward home again and she giggled as she ran to keep up. By the time they got to their building and into the elevator, Betty had her hands in his hair and pulling his mouth to hers. He sank back against the wall as it moved up, thankful that nobody was ever in it this late at night. He reached behind her and tugged the zipper of the dress down just as it reached their floor and they stumbled out, mouths still locked together, hands all over. By the time he shoved her against the apartment door, she had his jacket down his arms and his belt undone. 

They somehow managed to get the door unlocked and almost fell inside, as their mouths seemed glued together. Once the door was shut again and locked, they fell against it, his jacket dropping to the floor and his boots landing next to it as he kicked them off. She pulled his shirt off and her hands eagerly roamed over his skin, loving how the muscle contracted beneath her touch. When he tugged the top of her dress down, he groaned when her breasts spilled free, as there was no need of a bra with that dress. 

“God, you’re sexy,” he gasped, filling his hands with them. It was passion and fire and over two months of pent up frustration and it just spilled out, neither of them seeming to be able to slow down. “Do you have any idea how long I’ve wanted to do this?” he groaned, his mouth moving over the soft skin on her chest. 

“Since I opened the door when you came to look at the apartment?” she asked with a gasp as he bit into her breast eagerly. Jughead stilled and lifted his head. “No, just me?” she asked slyly and he grinned and slid his hands over her backside and lifted her against him. 

“You naughty little shit,” he laughed. “You’ve been just biding your time, huh?” he teased, his tongue sliding across her mouth and she pressed against him with a moan. 

“Jug, please,” she gasped when his hand squeezed her soft backside, grinding her against his arousal. He took her mouth again and her hands flew to his jeans, fumbling to get his button undone and pulling his zipper down. She didn’t hesitate as she reached inside and wrapped her hand around him. 

“Fuck,” he cursed at the sudden intrusion, bucking against her hand. His hands shoved up her skirt and yanked at her panties, tearing them in the process and he dropped them next to his shirt. 

“Please,” she whispered, her head falling back against the door as his hand wandered up the inside of her thigh. When his fingers brushed against her, he let out a low groan. 

“Holy fuck, you’re so wet,” he gasped against her mouth, his fingers sliding into her folds. She shuddered as he stroked her, her clit swollen with need and a needy cry left her mouth when he slid a finger inside her. “Shit, we need to slow down,” he muttered even as he stroked her, adding another finger and sliding them deep inside. “I want to take my time with you, touch you everywhere, kiss you everywhere, make you fall apart.” 

“Jughead?” Betty moaned, her body moving with his hand. “We’ve spent almost 3 months on foreplay, I need you to fuck me.” Jughead didn’t need to be told twice as he hurried to free himself from his boxers and braced her against the door, his cock sliding against her folds. 

“Maybe we should go to the bedroom,” he said as he nudged her opening, and Betty shuddered, almost unable to believe that she was finally about to have him. She shook her head hurriedly. 

“Now please,” she begged and he wasted no more time, sliding into her until he was completely buried. A breathy _fuck_ fell from both their mouths at the same time and Jughead paused to let her get used to his invasion. It had been a while and she was so tight, he almost came right then as she gripped him. The slight burn she had felt quickly disappeared and she wiggled against him eagerly. “Move,” she pleaded, her nails digging into his shoulders. 

Jughead wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled away from the door and walked to the kitchen and set her on the counter. He held her gaze as he slowly pulled out and pushed back in. After a few slow thrusts, she grabbed his face and pulled him in for a hard kiss before pulling away and gripping his hair. 

“Jughead, we have all night to go slow, please just fucking move,” she demanded. He grinned at her and his hands moved down to her thighs and he pushed them wide and then he moved. Her head fell back against the cupboard as he thrust into her. Hard and fast, exactly how she wanted it. “Oh my god, oh my god,” she cried as he reached parts of her that nobody had ever touched. It was frantic and desperate and their mouths met in a dirty and wet kiss as he moved relentlessly inside her. Betty could feel herself racing to the edge already and there was nothing she could do to hold it back. 

“I’m not going to last,” he gasped, gripping her hip with one hand and bracing on the upper cupboards with the other. They were still half dressed and fucking on the kitchen counter and Betty had never been so turned on in all her life. 

“Me neither,” she whimpered and when his hand moved between her legs and stroked over her, she fell apart, clamping so tight on him that he accidently bit her lip. 

“Fuck me,” he groaned, her clenching and pulsing making his body tighten with his own release. “Do I need to pull out?” he managed to gasp, trying desperately to hold on. 

“No,” she moaned, barely registering what he was asking as her body shuddered and quaked around him. “I’m on the pill.” The second the words were out of her mouth he came with a growl, his thrusts choppy and messy as he spilled into her. He moved through his orgasm, gasping against her mouth, his fingers bruising into her skin. 

“Fuck,” he whispered, his head falling to her shoulder as he slowed and stilled against her, his body trembling in the aftermath. She wrapped her legs back around him, holding him inside her, her arms wrapped around his neck. “I thought I told you to behave,” he muttered after he finally caught his breath. She laughed softly and he smiled into her hair. He lifted his head and looked at her, brushing the hair off her face. “Since you opened the door, huh?” he teased. She blushed and he laughed out loud. He stepped back and she whimpered in disappointment as their bodies disconnected. 

“Shower and then we go again,” she insisted. Jughead smirked and picked her up and carried her down the hall to the bathroom. 

“I was thinking a bath,” he said slyly. “And this time I do what I wanted to do the last time we had one.” 

“And what’s that?” she asked, biting her lip as she looked into his beautiful eyes. 

“Continue breaking the biggest roommate bible rule.” 

“And what might that be?” she asked curiously as he set her down gently and peeled her dress all the way off. 

“Thou shalt not have sex with thy roommate,” he said with a grin. 

“Oops,” she giggled. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Much to say and "do" in the next chapter ;)


	8. Memory Lane

Betty leaned back against Jughead, the feel of his hard bare torso against her back making her shiver in delight. They were in the bath again and this time it was vastly different. His hands were full of suds and sliding up her legs and over her stomach while his mouth pressed soft kisses on the side of her neck. She could feel his arousal on her back, much like the last time, but this time she moved against it, rewarded with a hiss against her neck as his teeth bit lightly, his hand sliding up to cup her breast, his thumb sliding over the taunt nipple.

“Jug,” she whimpered and he slid his other hand up to cup her other breast.

“Hmmmm?” he murmured against her ear, his tongue flicking out to tease the lobe.

“I guess we’re not just roommates anymore,” she breathed.

“I guess not,” he chuckled. 

“So, we’re going to go on a date? Are we like, dating now?” Betty asked.

“I would really like that,” Jughead said softly, his hands still sliding over her skin and she shuddered when his fingers teased around her lower abdomen.

“What if…what if we really messed up and it doesn’t work out? What if this is all physical and just about the sex?” she asked, chewing her lip nervously, her body accenting her words as she moved into his touch. “Like we had all this build up and it sort of just exploded today and what if….i mean, what if now that we’ve done that, it just fizzles….”

“I hope not,” he said softly. “Because I’m pretty certain I’m in love with you.” Betty froze in surprise and he went still behind her and she shifted forward and turned to look at him.

“What did you say?” she whispered. He held her gaze and swallowed, the vulnerability she had seen in his eyes when he’d gone to see his father, that bared his soul, back in his eyes. 

“I think I love you,” he repeated, his hands digging into her waist. 

“You think?” she asked, unsure if she was hearing him correctly or if her brain had conjured up some crazy fantasy.

“Is it too early to say that? I honestly have no idea because I’ve never been in love before,” he admitted, looking a little horrified with himself.

“You haven’t?” she asked, still a little taken aback. He shook his head and she had to grab his hands and hold them because he was squeezing a little too hard in his panic. “How do you know it’s love then?”

“I’m assuming?” Jughead said with a grimace. “I’ve never felt like this before.”

“Jug?” she whimpered, searching his face for any glimpse of what he was saying to be true. “How…how do you feel?”

“Like I can’t breathe without you. I always want to be with you, and when I’m not, I can’t stop thinking about you. I dream about you, while I’m awake, while I’m asleep. I want to protect you and keep you safe. Every time we go out together, even though we weren’t technically together, I felt like the luckiest bastard on the planet because I got to hold your hand. I got to hold you. I got to kiss you. I honestly feel like I’m losing my fucking mind. I used to make fun of guys that talked like this,” he finished with a strangled laugh. Betty was still trying to process and her silence made him nervous and he honestly felt like throwing up. “It’s too early, isn’t it? Like what kind of moron falls in love with a girl he’s known just shy of three months, who he isn’t even dating,” he scrambled. He studied her face and saw she was struggling to hold it together, her eyes glassy with tears. “Okay, you have to say something. Did I fuck this up?” he asked hurriedly. Betty shook her head and touched her hands to his cheeks, shifted to she straddled his lap, not caring that water sloshed over the side of the tub and trying to ignore the prominent arousal against her stomach. 

“You didn’t fuck it up,” she insisted, a shaky smile on her lips.

“I’m not scaring you?” he asked.

“No,” Betty said with a tearful laugh. “But this wasn’t…….this wasn’t supposed to happen,” she said softly. “We weren’t supposed to fall in love.”

“Oops,” he smiled and then he went still. “Wait…. _we_ weren’t supposed to fall in love?”

“I think I love you too,” she admitted.

“Then why were you wondering if this was just physical?” Jughead asked in confusion.

“Because I didn’t know how you felt,” Betty whispered. “I knew you wanted me, but I wasn’t sure if it was more than that and for the last few weeks I’ve found myself terrified of losing you and that’s why I resisted so much because I thought if I let things get too physical, if I let myself care about you, and everything falls apart, I just….i don’t want to lose you Jug and I know that’s not logical at all and if we stayed friends and one of us met someone some day, we’d still have to part, but I guess I just…..i was scared,” she sighed. “Scared that I fell so fast and so hard and that maybe it was just infatuation and lust, but then last night…” She trailed off and took a deep breath.

“What about last night?” he asked gently.

“I’m sorry I did that Jug, made you go on that date. I know I said it was to help Archie, but I wanted to….” She sighed before she continued. “I wanted to see how it would feel if you went on a date. To see if I was just imagining my feelings. I used you, in a way, to figure my own shit out and I’m so sorry.”

“And how did you feel when I went on this date?” Jughead asked, his lips twitching into a smile.

“I was miserable and jealous. So fucking jealous. I mean, you’re so handsome and kind and sweet and I don’t know any woman who wouldn’t want you and I just lay in bed and imagined some girl flirting with you and coming on to you and wanting you and I wanted to march down to Chino’s and rip her hair out,” Betty admitted with a flush. Jughead smiled and let his hands soothe over her back and pulled her a little closer, her breasts rubbing sensually over his chest, the bubbles and water making their skin slippery.

“Well, I should tell you that she did come on to me,” he said, his voice teasing. “Archie ditched me with his date and left me alone with her.”

“Figures,” Betty said, rolling her eyes.

“She invited me back to her place to….what was it now….relieve some stress?” Betty glared at him and he grinned at her while her hand slowly slid up into his hair where her fingers gripped tightly and he winced slightly, even as his eyes shimmered with teasing laughter.

“And what did you say? Hmmmm?”

“Well, I told her I’d go home and check with my sexy roommate who forced me to go on the date and if it was alright with her, I’d come right back,” Jughead said with a laugh. She tugged a little harder and his smile became gentle and his hands brushed over her ribs, stroking along the sides of her breasts and she shivered. “I told her I wasn’t interested and she told me that she hoped it worked out with the girl that had me all twisted up in knots, because you see, my beautiful Betty, even a complete stranger could tell that I was gone for you.”

 _My beautiful Betty._ The words bounced around inside her heart and she swallowed anxiously. She wanted to be his so badly.

“Were you tempted?” she asked, her eyes brimming with tears at her idiocy the previous night, her hand easing its hold to gently caress his hair.

“Not even a little,” he whispered back, pulling her closer and brushing his mouth over hers.

“Is it too much too fast?” she asked, her fear surfacing again. “I don’t want to lose you Jughead and I’m feeling so much and we haven’t even gone on a date.”

“Hey,” he said quickly, cupping her face. “We’ve spent a lot of time together over the last couple of months. Hours of time talking and having fun. We’ve gotten to know each other on a deeper level than I’ve known any of the previous girls I’ve dated. We became wonderful friends, we’re important to each other, and I would do anything for you. I may not know a lot about love and being in love, but I know that all this is a pretty good foundation, don’t you think?” Betty bit her lip and nodded.

“I guess I’m just worried that because we live together and we’re so close that maybe we’re confused, or it’s so fast that it will suddenly just…..i don’t know,” she sighed, leaning against his chest and resting her head on his shoulder.

“You’re worried this might be more infatuation and lust than love?” he asked gently. 

“Yeah,” she whispered. 

“Okay, how about this; we don’t mention the L word again until we’re absolutely sure. No matter who says it again first, we don’t say it until we’re sure,” Jughead suggested.

“What if I think I’m sure?” 

“Then we’ll wait until we’re sure sure,” he said with a smile. “We’ll just carry on as normal, except now we’re dating, going on dates, taking sexy baths together,” he murmured, his hands smoothing over her legs.

“Sex,” she whispered as she shivered against him. “Please tell me we can keep having sex.”

“I’m that good, huh?” he teased and she moved back, moving her hips against him, pulling a low groan from his mouth.

“No, _I’m_ that good,” she replied with a smile.

“You’ll have to prove it,” he said with a smirk. “I don’t know, we banged pretty quickly, you know, cause you were horny and all….” He started to laugh when she smacked him on the shoulder.

“I didn’t hear you complaining,” she huffed as she moved her head and bit his ear.

“No, I certainly wasn’t complaining,” he murmured, his hands on her hips dragging her slowly against his arousal. Betty whimpered, her nails digging into his shoulder. It was silky and slippery, the kind of slippery that had nothing to do with the water. “It felt too good to complain,” he said softly against her ear. “The way you felt wrapped around me….” He nudged against her clit and she let out a low moan, the heat and ache slowly uncoiling inside her. “I’d think about it at night when I’d lay in bed after coming home from work, knowing you were only a few feet away from me, wondering what it would be like to be inside you,” he spoke, his lips brushing against her skin. 

“Jug,” she whimpered, moving restlessly, trying to get closer but he held her off, nudging lightly. 

“I’ve thought about touching you, of tasting you, of making you fall apart until my name is the only thing you can remember,” he said gruffly.

“Oh god,” Betty moaned. “Please Jug.” She could feel his smile on her skin as he kissed his way down to her chest, his hands moving up to cup her breasts, his thumbs stroking over her nipples. He ducked his head and ran a tongue over the tight peak and she gasped when he took her in his mouth and sucked. 

“I can’t believe I get to have you,” he whispered against the wet skin when he released her. Betty reached down between them and wrapped her hand around him, stroking him and he groaned, lifting into her hand. “I want to be inside you,” he pleaded when she squeezed him and she shuddered at the need she heard in his voice. She pressed her mouth to his and slowly slid down on him and he groaned into her mouth.

“You feel good,” Betty moaned, pulling back and holding his gaze as she moved on him. His hands moved again to her breasts, cupping them and leaning forward, taking a nipple in his mouth again. She moaned and arched her body, her head falling back.

“You like that?” he asked against her breast, his tongue licking over her, moving across to the other one. 

“Yes,” she moaned, her nails digging into his shoulders.

“What else do you like?” he said gruffly, his hands roaming over her legs and then dipping between her legs, teasing her clit. 

“Tha….that….” she gasped. 

Jughead dragged his tongue up to her neck and sucked on her skin there until a small mark appeared. He grinned arrogantly over marking her and took her mouth in a hot, tongue thrusting kiss. He gripped her hips and moved her roughly against him and she whimpered, picking up her pace. Betty felt her release building and she barely noticed the mess they were making on the bathroom floor as the water splashed from the tub. 

“Fuck baby, you’re so tight and wet,” Jughead groaned, his body starting to shake beneath her. She dug her nails in harder, his words setting her on fire. The feel of him deep inside her, stroking against her walls made her eyes roll back in her head. “I can’t wait to get my mouth on you, to taste you, to have you come on my tongue,” he growled, realizing how his words made her react.

“Oh god,” she whimpered, the images suddenly rolling through her brain, her on the bed, his head between her thighs. “Shit, Jug,” she gasped as his hand once again moved between them and he stroked over her clit.

“Come for me, Betty,” he groaned. His words, his touch, the feeling of him filling her completely sent her over the edge and she came hard around him, tightening with a cry, his name echoing around the bathroom and he joined her with a harsh groan, his hands digging into her hips as he spilled into her and she collapsed against his chest, her body shaking, her breathing harsh. His arms wrapped tightly around her and she realized there was nowhere else she wanted to be.

“You’re incredible,” Jughead said softly, his lips pressing a kiss to her neck. “I honestly feel like I’m dreaming.”

“Why?” she asked, her fingers dancing over his skin. 

“Because why would an amazing and beautiful woman like you want to be with a jaded weirdo writer who used to run with a gang and did some questionable shit?”

“Well, why would a beautiful soul like you want to be with a woman who’s family is beyond messed up and likes to have her nose stuck in old books for hours on end.”

“Match made in heaven,” he chuckled. She smiled into his neck and he squeezed her tight. “Let’s get out of this cooling water and climb under the covers,” he suggested. She moved back and slid off him and he immediately missed her warmth and couldn’t wait to feel it again. 

They quickly washed while trading kisses and climbed out of the tub and spent some time cleaning up the water that had spilled. Betty pulled on a tshirt and panties and was about to get into her bed when Jughead lifted her up as she squealed in surprise and carried her to his room. 

“I want you in my bed,” he said gruffly and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and grinned at him.

“Well, technically that’s still my bed,” she teased. “And I was in it last night.”

“Ahh yes, when you crawled in uninvited and curled up beside me. Feel free to do that anytime,” he said as he reached his bed and dropped her down on it. She bounced with a laugh and he got in beside her, pulling the blanket up over them. She immediately rolled into him and he smiled and hugged her close. She was snuggled against his chest and she lifted her hand and touched his face, still reeling a little from all that had happened in the last few hours. She had had him twice now and she wanted him again and again and again. 

“What are you thinking about?” he asked softly. 

“I just can’t believe we’re here,” Betty said with a soft smile. Her hand moving to brush the curl off his forehead and she bit her lip to hold back a laugh as it promptly fell right back where it had been. There was something so boyish and endearing about it and it made her heart flutter. Everything about him made her heart flutter. “I was doing life, I was perfectly happy, and I wasn’t looking for this at all and….”

“Sometimes you find the best things when you aren’t really looking,” Jughead said softly.

“Yeah…” she agreed in a whisper. He leaned in and kissed her softly and she smiled against his mouth. “Are we still going on a date tomorrow?” she asked when he pulled back.

“Of course. So, we did it a little backwards and did the end part of the date first, doesn’t mean we won’t do the rest,” Jughead teased.

“Is that how all your dates end? On the kitchen counter?” she giggled.

“Yeah, but it’s usually me eating a sandwich trying to forget how shitty it went and never in the pants of someone so beautiful,” he said smugly. She blushed and he laughed.

“What can I say,” she sighed. “I’m just easy.”

“I beg to differ,” Jughead murmured softly. “It took me weeks of flirting to get in there,” he teased. Betty rolled her eyes and he grinned and nipped her jaw.

“So what are we doing on our date?” she asked, snuggling in and tucking her head under his chin.

“You’ll have to wait and see,” he said, kissing the top of her head. She fell asleep to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat against her ear.

 

The next morning, Betty woke and found herself alone in bed, which was strange because it was Sunday morning and Jughead always slept till almost noon. She burrowed under the blanket for a few more minutes to inhale the wonderful scent that was pure Jughead before she got up to see where he was at. She found an empty apartment and a note on the island.

_Starting the date right with the best baked goods and coffee in the city._  
_Be back soon._  
_J_

So, the date would be all day. She grinned and wondered if she should shower, or get dressed or what. She had no idea what the dress code should be so she opted for flopping down on the couch to channel surf until he got back. He walked through the door 20 minutes later and she jumped off the couch and he barely got the bag down on the island when she wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug.

“Mmmm,” he sighed as he ducked his head to kiss her. “Please greet me like this all the time,” he said in between kisses. He moved his hands to hold her face and kissed her properly and thoroughly and when he was done she sagged against him. “Do I really get to do that whenever I want?” he asked a little short of breath when he pulled away. She smiled and nodded and he kissed her again.

“Can we go back to bed?” she whispered when he slid his hands over her backside and lifted her against him, feeling him aroused at her core.

“Shit,” he growled, moving against her when she tugged on his bottom lip with her teeth. “That’s tempting as fuck hon, but I want to take you out first,” Jughead insisted. 

“Are you sure?” she asked in a husky whisper before sliding her tongue in his mouth as she wrapped her legs around his hips and pressed herself against him. He groaned and tangled his own tongue with hers, the kiss deep and dirty and had them both overheated in moments and he finally wrenched his mouth away and lowered her to the floor and took a step back, pointing his finger at her.

“Stop it, I have a plan,” he said with a growl, his breathing harsh. Betty pulled her lip between her teeth and smiled coyly at him and he closed his eyes and ran his hands over his face. “You’re going to kill me,” he muttered, opening them again and glaring at her. “Go back to resisting my flirting for a bit, I’m not at all prepared for this.” 

“What?” she asked innocently, leaning against the counter and grinning. “Can’t hack being on the other end of the seduction?”

“No, because clearly I suck at it, and have no idea how to resist,” he laughed. “I upped my game for a good two weeks and got shut down and you just started on me yesterday and I’ve fucked you twice already.”

“So, it’s you who’s easy?” she giggled.

“Clearly,” he muttered with an eye roll. Betty smiled and moved closer and wrapped her arms around his neck. 

“I’ll stop teasing if you kiss me one more time,” she said sweetly. As per his observation, he couldn’t resist and took her face in his hands and kissed her slowly, thoroughly until she trembled against him and her body was moving restlessly against his. He pulled back, breathing heavy and put some space between them. 

“Seriously, I can’t think when you touch me,” he sighed. “Stop kissing me.”

“You kissed me,” she laughed.

“You asked me to!” Jughead growled.

“Well, then tell me _no_ ,” Betty retorted and he shook his head and went to the bag he had brought. 

“Don’t tell anybody that I have no chill when it comes to you,” he laughed, pulling pastries out of the bag. She sidled up beside him and wrapped her arm around his waist as he emptied all the delicious looking baked goods onto the island and opened the two coffees. 

“I promise it will be our secret,” she said with a smile, kissing his arm. He flexed against her mouth and she rolled her eyes. “You’re such a guy,” she laughed.

“You saying you don’t like my muscle?” he teased, flexing again. Well, she was only human. Of course she liked his muscle. In fact, she wanted to rip his shirt off as they stood there, but she refrained. He must have figured out what she was thinking as she ogled him and he smirked and handed her a pastry. “Okay, get your mind out of the gutter,” he teased again and she sighed and took what he offered. “This is literally the best thing you will ever put in your mouth.” She looked at it and then took a bite.

“Oh my god,” she groaned as the pastry filled with cream literally melted in her mouth. It was still warm on the inside and she took another bite before she was even done chewing. “Where the hell did you get this?” she asked around a mouth full. He grinned and bit into his own.

“10 blocks from here is a lovely pastry shop called Little France and I could literally camp there and eat until I can’t move,” he said as he took another bite.

“I’ve seen that place,” Betty said with a nod. “I’ve always wanted to go try it but have never gotten around to it.”

“Honey,” Jughead said dramatically. “It doesn’t matter what you are doing or how busy you are, you need to ALWAYS make time for Little France. Try the coffee.” Betty took a sip and then another. 

“Wow, even the coffee is amazing. Is it all French?”

“I guess,” he said with a chuckle. “I wouldn’t know, but if it is, we’re going to France for our honeymoon.” Betty knew it was just a casual cute remark that didn’t mean a thing but it made her freeze none the less. She looked at him with wide eyes and it suddenly dawned on him what he said. “I…um…sorry that just….” He flushed sheepishly and she shook her head and looked down.

“It’s okay,” she said softly, taking another sip of coffee. His finger touched her chin, nudging her head up. 

“I think there’s a wedding chapel on fifth,” he said and she couldn’t help but laugh. She put down her coffee and gave him a hug. 

“You and your jokes,” she smiled into his chest before pulling back. He grinned at her and grabbed another pastry. He finished most of them and she had 3 and Betty smiled to herself when she pictures her mother’s horrified expression. “Well, after these three, I think I’m on my way to my ass making my jeans tight,” she said with a laugh. Jughead put his coffee down and wrapped his arms around her, his hands settling on said ass. He grinned and squeezed and she blushed in response.

“Yes, baby, fill my hands,” he teased and she grabbed his face and kissed him. He was like a freak of nature and some kind of anomaly and she wondered how she got lucky enough to find him. And as usual, it didn’t take long and she was pressed against him and the kiss was hot and heavy and his tongue was stroking against hers. He pulled away with a growl and she smiled at him. “We need to stop this or this date will be spent in the bedroom all damn day,” he said with a sigh.

“Well, I don’t think I’d mind that,” she said, biting her lip, her arms still around his neck. He walked her around the island and towards her bedroom.

“I promise,” he said with a soft kiss. “That this date…” 

Another kiss. 

“Will end…” 

A flick of the tongue. 

“In the bedroom.” 

His husky promise against her ear made her shiver. 

“And Betty,” he murmured when he had her pressed against the door of her room. “I promise you, it will be slow...” 

Another kiss on the neck 

“And sensual….” 

A lick on the earlobe.

“And you will be thoroughly satisfied many times over.” 

“Oh shit,” she whimpered, her knees going week and she was suddenly glad he was holding her up. He pulled away and she grabbed the doorknob to steady herself.

“Now, put on something casual and comfortable and meet me in the kitchen in half hour.”

“You want me to get ready for a date in half an hour?” she asked incredulously, her voice shaking a little as she was still trying to get her bearings after his sexy promises. She suddenly wanted to fast forward and just be at the end of the date. She had no doubt in her mind that Jughead would deliver on his promises and her body was already humming. “Jug, this is a big day, I need to pull out all the stops.”

“Shit, Betty, you look hot already, you don’t even need to try.”

“Give me an hour,” she insisted. 

“Okay, but you have to let me in the bathroom for a few minutes to take my own shower,” he said with a laugh.

“Well we could…”

“No,” he interrupted. “A shower together will end up in the bedroom and im determined to make it out the door for this date.” Betty bit her lip and smiled and disappeared into her bedroom. This was important and even though he said casual and comfortable, she wanted to be beautiful for him. 

When she came out an hour later, Jughead was waiting and her heart started hammering. He looked so handsome, she almost couldn’t breathe. He didn’t look that much different than usual, in jeans and a tshirt, but the jeans were a dark blue with the slightly faded look rather than his usual black and they sat low on his waist and tucked into them was a tight white t-shirt and she already knew he was built lean and strong but it seemed accented somehow. His hat was missing and he had attempted to tame his hair but the gorgeous curl still fell across his forehead. He seemed lost for words as he looked at her.

Betty had chosen a pair of cute white shorts that showed off her long legs and a light pink shimmery tank top, thankful that it was a beautiful warm day. She had piled her hair on top of her head, with just enough falling down and framing her face and shoulders. She had just put on mascara and a shimmery pink lip gloss and large silver hoops in her ears to complete the look and by the expression on his face, she knew she had chosen her outfit well. 

“Jesus, I told you I wanted to leave the apartment,” he said, his voice sounding a little hoarse. “I just want to carry you to bed now.”

“No way,” she said with a smile. “This super casual and natural look took an hour,” she added with a laugh. 

“You are stunning,” he breathed, walking up to her and touching her face. “Make sure you bring that lip gloss along because I will probably kiss it off multiple times.” She held up her small bag and smiled.

“Got it right here,” she laughed. She stepped into some white flats and smiled when he put on a pair of converse sneakers instead of his boots. They left the apartment hand in hand and filled with excitement. Jughead had an Uber waiting for them and when he gave a destination in central park, she wondered at it. She decided to not ask any question and just let him surprise her. With a smile, she settled into his side and enjoyed the feel of him against her and once again had to concentrate on not letting her mind wander to his promises for the end of the date.

 

Jughead sat back in the seat and wrapped his arm around Betty as she settled into his side. He was 25 years old and he felt like a 16 year old going on his first date. His heart was hammering and he couldn’t believe the sexy and beautiful woman clinging to his hand was going on a date with him. He couldn’t believe that he’d already had her falling apart in his arms twice. If there was ever a lucky bastard in the world, it was definitely him. His eyes wandered to her legs and his brain immediately conjured up images that if he wasn’t careful would give him some uncomfortable jeans. But he couldn’t help it. They had had sex twice now and it had been quick both times and all he wanted to do was lay her down on the bed and make love to her. He wanted to worship her. Make her fall apart over and over and god damn, he wanted those legs wrapped around him as she strained against him. 

“Fuck,” he muttered, before he could stop himself and she turned to look at him with an amused expression on her face. 

“You know,” she whispered, the back of her hand lightly brushing against the annoying bulge growing in his pants. “If you stopped staring at my legs, you could stop thinking about sex.”

“I swear I’ve turned into some sort of sex maniac around you,” Jughead sighed, leaning his head back and willing his body to calm down. He was thankful the Uber driver seemed into his classic rock music and wasn’t paying attention to their conversation.

“You mean you’re not always a sex maniac?” she teased. Jughead lifted his head and looked at her, his expression surprisingly serious.

“Not even a little,” he said with a little laugh. “Honestly Betty, I got dumped constantly for being boring.” She shook her head in disbelief.

“How?” she asked. “You’re so fun and cute and flirty. And seriously, did these stupid women ever kiss you? Your kisses turn my brain to complete shit. Like I can’t form a thought. Let’s not even talk about the sex. And according to you, that wasn’t even the good stuff. Who the hell did you date? You know what? I think you’re lying,” she laughed. “Who in their right mind would dump you?”

“Well,” Jughead started, his facing having broken into a grin half way through her heartfelt speech. “I don’t know if I’ve ever been like that with a woman. The way I am with you. You bring something out in me. I just feel happy around you.” 

“I feel happy around you too,” Betty said softly, squeezing his hand. Jughead felt his heart squeeze. He had told her he was pretty sure he was in love with her and he was still pretty sure and if he was being honest, he was completely sure. He had never felt like this in his life. Yes, he had had girlfriends, had even lived with one of them for a few months, but he always wondered if it was just because he was in between room rentals and it was an easy option or if he had really wanted to be with her all the time. She had dumped him and kicked him out 3 months after he moved in because she decided that he was boring. Turned out, when women really got to know him outside of dates, or the occasional sleep over, he wasn’t that much fun.

Betty was different. She loved to talk about all the things that interested him. Books and writing and old movies. Her favorite thing he had quickly found out was to curl up next to him and watch whatever movie he wanted her to see. They could sit all afternoon on a Sunday in comfortable silence while he wrote and she read, sharing the occasion smile and comment about something. Or they could go to the bar for an entire evening and laugh and have fun and that was easy too. She didn’t care that he sometimes wanted to sleep all day. She didn’t care that he ate everything in sight. She didn’t question him when he was tired and moody and didn’t want to talk. She read his moods almost better than he did. They just meshed so well, it was almost unbelievable. She was everything he never knew he wanted and he still couldn’t believe she was willing to go out with him, or even let him touch her.

“What are you thinking about?” she asked softly when he went silent. Jughead studied her beautiful face and gave her a small smile.

“That you’re way too good for me,” he admitted. She apparently was having none of that as she touched his face and leaned in to give him a lusty kiss.

“Shut up,” she breathed when she pulled away. “You’re stuck with me now and I don’t want to hear any of that crap. I happen to think I’m perfect for you.”

“Oh yeah?” he asked with a grin. “How so?”

“Who else would put up with your flirting and keep you fed?” she asked with a smirk.

“You got me there,” he winked. He pulled her closer and kissed the side of her head. “Betty?” he whispered.

“What?” she whispered back.

“I’m still pretty certain that I love you.” 

“Tell me again when you’re sure sure,” she replied with a happy smile. 

“I’ll tell you every time I’m even more certain,” he smiled back. She kissed him then and he decided that yes, he was definitely the luckiest bastard on the planet.

 

When they got to the park, Betty was surprised when Jughead led her to the lake and a small shack renting small row boats. 

“Are you serious?” she asked with a grin. He shrugged and she waited while he rented one and they got it in the water. She stood on the dock and looked at it with a raised eyebrow. “Are we seriously getting in a boat?” she asked. 

“Yes, we’re seriously getting in a boat,” he said with a smile as he offered his hand to help her in. Once she managed to get her footing and sat on the seat, he got in with her, sitting across from her and grabbed the oars, pushing them away from the dock and out onto the water. 

“If I fall into the water, I’m kicking your ass,” she said firmly and he laughed.

“That’s seriously one of my favorite things about you,” he pointed out.

“What?”

“You literally give no shits and say whatever the hell you want. You aren’t worried about being all cute and act like some helpless woman. I’ve gone out with girls that spent the entire night posing and saying just the right cute thing with a flutter of the lashes.” 

“What, are you telling me that my threatening to kick your ass isn’t cute? Shall I flutter my lashes?” she asked with a grin, a pretty blush on her cheeks.

“You’re seriously so fucking cute I can’t stand it,” he insisted. Betty couldn’t help herself and moved toward him and pressed her mouth to his. He was so surprised they fell back and she let out a shriek of horror as the small boat started rocking from side to side.

“Oh my god, we’re going to tip!” she yelled, holding on to him. He started laughing and grabbed an oar and tried from their sprawled position to steady the boat. She started giggling and pulling on his shirt as if it would steady her and it just put them more off balance.

“Okay lay still,” he ordered as he laughed and she went still and he spent a couple of minutes balancing it until it finally stopped rocking. 

“How do we get up without throwing it off again?” she asked, trying to stop her giggles. They were laying on the bottom of the boat, wedged between two plank seats and she knew trying to get up would rock it.

“Ah, fuck it, we’ll just lay here and float around,” Jughead said with a shrug which caused her giggles to spill out again.

“How many girls have you dumped in this lake?” she asked when she got her breath back. 

“None,” he laughed. “You’re the first I’ve brought here. Although now that I think about it, I had some bad dates. Maybe a good dunking would have helped ease the tension.” Betty laughed again and he squeezed her to him. She moved carefully and rested chin on her hands on his chest, smiling into his eyes. 

“You’ve had a lot of bad dates?” she asked softly.

“A few.”

“How many girlfriends have you had?” Betty asked curiously. 

“I’m not sure, 5 I think? Not many, honestly.”

“Ever have a one night stand?” 

“You seriously want to know this stuff? While we’re on a date?” Jughead questioned with a laugh.

“Well, first dates are like interrogations anyway,” she grinned. “I’ve never asked you this stuff and now’s a good a time as any.”

“Well, I confess, have slept with every girlfriend I’ve had, first time I was 16, I’ve lived with one girlfriend until she kicked me out and I had one horrible one night stand that was basically a really stupid way of dealing with my father telling me I was dead to him. I got fucking hammered and then went home with the first girl that smiled at me. It was just really really bad. I didn’t even remember if the sex was any good,” he laughed. “I woke up alone with a hangover from hell and had a sticky note on my forehead that said “please go home and forget where I live” so I’m assuming it was bad,” Jughead explained and Betty slapped her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing out loud. 

“That didn’t happen!” she gasped and then burst into the laughter she was trying to muffle.

“I’m afraid it did,” he said with a sheepish laugh. 

“Why do you think it was bad?” she asked, still laughing. “Couldn’t get it up?”

“Or it died half way through,” he shrugged.

“Wrong hole maybe?” She couldn’t stop her giggles and he couldn’t help but laugh with her. 

“It could be any number of things and I seriously couldn’t remember a thing,” he said with a painful wince. “That’s the last time I got that drunk. Now I go for a nice light buzz. What about you? Anything embarrassing? Can’t be as bad as my pathetic history.” 

“Not that bad,” Betty said with a smile. “6 boyfriends, slept with 4 of them, lived with one of them, that would be the guy from last year who cheated. I’ve almost had a one night stand,” she admitted.

“How do you almost have a one night stand?” he asked curiously. “What stopped you?”

“Well, it was because of my parent as well,” Betty sighed. “I had just gotten to college, was angry with her for making me study journalism and I decided to do something she would be horrified by and the first party I went to, I picked up a guy and took him back to my room. He was cute I guess, I would have done it, but he started to cry,” she giggled. Jughead made a face that was half amusement and half astonishment.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“He started to cry because his girlfriend had dumped him that morning. I didn’t know that,” Betty said as she laughed. “He apparently felt guilty cause he still loved her and ran out in just his boxers and t-shirt. He forgot his pants.” Now it was Jughead’s turn to laugh. When he managed to stop, he touched her face and his face took on this gentle look.

“Any guy that runs from you or cheats on you must be out of his fucking mind,” he said softly. Betty smiled and kissed his finger that traced across her lip.

“Well any woman that dumps you and kicks you out must be insane,” she added.

“So, I guess we were just waiting for the right person to come along,” Jughead said softly and she bit her lip.

“I think it finally happened,” she said happily.

“I think so too,” he said, his hands cupping her face and pulling it up to kiss her. She moved carefully and lay on top of him, as cramped as they were and managed to only shake the boat a little but she stopped caring when his tongue flicked against her lips and she opened so it could slide into her mouth. It was a slow languid kiss that left her aching, always aching for more. His hands slid over her backside and he squeezed gently as he pressed her to him, his body starting to harden beneath her. It made her dizzy, the immediate effect she had on him. That a man, so sexy and so handsome wanted her with as much need as she wanted him. 

“I’m so happy Archie kicked you out,” she whispered against his mouth and she felt his smile as he let go of her behind and wrapped his arms tightly around her.

“Baby, you have no idea,” he sighed happily. He kissed her again and then pulled back and grasped her arms. “Okay, we need to sit back up and get this thing moving, as much as I want to lay here all day kissing you,” he laughed. It took some careful movements but they managed to get back in their seat without upsetting the boat too much. “I actually have something I wanted you see,” he said with a smile as he started rowing again.

He rowed them into a more narrow passage and they floated slowly through low hanging branches of a weeping willow and she looked up at it in awe. The tree was huge and seemed to make a cocoon of sorts that he stopped the boat under. She reached up and touched the sweeping greenery and he smiled as he watched her. 

“It’s hard to believe there is such beauty in the midst of a concrete jungle,” he said softly. She lowered her head and looked at him. “I used to come here when I was a teenager and wanted to get away from the bullshit of the gang. It took a few trains and cabs but I tried to come as often as I could and I’d just row over here and hide myself and read a book all day.” Betty studied him and found herself feeling sad at the thought of a lonely teenage Jughead hiding himself from the world under a weeping willow to read a book. Weeping willow. It was almost poetic.

“I wish I had met you back then,” she said with a smile.

“Oh hon, you really don’t,” he said with a small laugh as he leaned on the oar. “I was a loner and quite strange.”

“You just needed someone to love you,” she said softly. “You say you’ve known Archie all your life? Where was he when you were feeling lonely?”

“There was a period of a few years where I rarely saw him because his dad moved them out of Brooklyn because he wanted to get away from the influence of my father. We connected again after graduation, that I’m surprised I made it to. I did well in school, but everyone around me didn’t care and it was hard to not fall into the life of skipping school and causing trouble and I did my fair share of that for a while as well.”

“Well, I had no excitement when I was younger. My mom had so many rules, I basically had to ask to blink. I can’t tell you how much fun it is to be out from under her thumb. And now,” she said, her voice taking on a teasing lilt as she carefully sidled across to him. “I can do whatever I want,” Betty breathed, brushing her lips across hers.

“And what do you want to do, Betty?” Jughead asked with a smile, dropping the oar and sliding his arm around her waist.

“You,” she murmured, flicking her tongue across his lip. He took her mouth with a small groan and soon his hands were wandering over her, squeezing her backside, sliding under her shirt, brushing teasingly across her breasts. She was panting by the time he pulled away. 

“We can forget this whole date and just go back home,” he suggested heatedly. 

“Nope,” she said quickly and moved back to her seat. “What’s next, sexy?” Betty asked cheekily. Jughead sighed and laughed, picking up the oars and starting to row again. He stayed close to the shore and went slowly and they chatted and enjoyed the beautiful day. She couldn’t stop smiling, thinking this was the sweetest and most fun date she had ever been on. 

“Juggie?” 

“Hmmmm?”

“I’m still pretty certain that I love you as well.” Jughead held her gaze, his heart shining in his eyes. She knew what they had was real. She didn’t have a single doubt.

“Tell me again when you’re sure sure,” he replied with a happy smile. 

“I’ll tell you every time I’m even more certain,” Betty said with a grin. They spent another hour rowing around and pointing things out to each other before he brought the boat back to the dock and helped her out. “That was so much fun! Can we do that again some time?” she asked.

“Absolutely,” he promised. They took a walk once they returned the boat and he of course had to stop at an ice cream cart and got them some treats and soon were strolling, holding hands and licking ice cream cones. 

“Want to try mine?” she asked, holding it up to him and he leaned in to have a taste and she shoved it in his face and he growled and grabbed her and proceeded to give her a sloppy kiss and then they both had ice cream on their faces. She giggled as he kissed her clean and she couldn’t help but feel like a teenager on a first date. She didn’t feel like a grown up with responsibilities and she was beyond happy about that.

“I’m all sticky now,” she sighed as she wiped at her face. 

“You’ll be sticky later too,” Jughead promised, as he dragged his tongue through his ice cream. Betty bit back a groan and clenched her thighs together at the sudden ache between them and he smirked at her blush. She rolled her eyes and grabbed his hand and they kept walking.

They left the park and he had another Uber waiting and she had no idea how he was managing that as she never saw him on his phone except to check the time. After a half hour ride, they ended up at this old theatre that he told her only played old classics and it was another place he loved to hang out as a teenager.

“Rebel without a Cause,” she read on the sign and smiled at him. “Seems fitting,” she laughed. “For both of us.” They went inside and grabbed some popcorn and drinks and sat in the back of the basically empty theatre. “So, do you take all your dates on a tour of your teenage life?” she asked softly. 

“None till you,” he replied. “I guess I just wanted to show you all the things that made me happy when I was younger, because not much did and now, well, lately I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.” Betty put her drink down and as the lights dimmed she crawled into his lap and kissed him with all the passion she could muster. After long minutes when they finally pulled apart, she rested her forehead on his and he held her close. “Well, now I wish I had known you back then as well because my experiences in here weren’t quite as amazing as this,” he said heatedly. She stayed in his lap and they didn’t see much of the movie as most of their time was spent sharing kisses and whispering sweet nothings to each other. 

“I can’t wait till you take me home,” she whimpered in his ear when his hand slipped under her shirt and cupped her breast. He was thankful there was only one other person in the old theatre and he was asleep so Jughead took full liberties to feel up his amazing girlfriend.

“Why is that?” he murmured as his finger pulled her bra lace down and his thumb stroked over the nipple. She forgot what they were talking about as she bit his earlobe and moved restlessly against her.

“We’re not acting like very mature adults,” she giggled when he sucked a hicky into her neck. 

“Fuck maturity for the day,” he suggested with a grin.

“Oh but Jug, when our date brings us to the bedroom, I’m going to need the sexy man, not the awkward teenager,” she teased.

“Don’t you worry hon, I’m going to do some very naughty adult things to you,” he promised with a swipe of his tongue across her neck. She shivered and pressed closer.

“I’m pretty sure I’m already wet,” she purred in his ear.

“Fuck,” he growled, a little louder than he intended and the man down in the front jerked awake and shook his head in confusion. Betty pressed her mouth to Jughead’s neck to stifle her giggles. “You drive me crazy, you know that?” he groaned quietly.

“Now you know how I’ve felt the last few weeks,” she smiled. 

“I’m pretty sure I never told you I was aroused,” he sighed. 

“Were you ever?” she wanted to know.

“I plead the fifth,” he smirked.

“I touched myself in the bath thinking about you after knowing you only a couple of weeks,” she confessed casually. 

“Jesus Christ,” he managed to choke out. He picked her up and put her back in her seat and pulled at his jeans which she noticed seemed a lot tighter. She pressed her mouth together to hold in her laughter. It was mean, she knew this but oh, it was so much fun. He glared at her when a laugh escaped and she winked at him. Jughead shook his head and managed a smile. 

“You’re gonna kill me,” he muttered. When they left the theatre it was past 6 and time for whatever dinner Jughead had planned. Again, there was an Uber waiting. It was only then that she realized it was the same one they had been in all day. She turned to him and grabbed his hand.

“Did you hire this driver the whole day?” she asked in surprise. 

“Ahh, you noticed, huh?” Jughead laughed. “The driver is a friend of mine from the bar and he ditched me to become a driver and I was annoyed at him for leaving me so he promised that one day he’d let me borrow him for a day and go wherever I wanted. Today is that day,” he laughed. The man climbed out of the car and they got introduced. His name was Bill.

“I hope you haven’t been bored,” Betty said with a grimace. It couldn’t be fun sitting around all day waiting for a couple on a date.

“Not at all,” he said with a smile. “I happen to be a book worm and I’ve been reading all day.” Betty smiled and nodded. Of course he was a book worm. If you were friends with Jughead, with Archie being the exception, you liked books. He opened the door for them and when they got in, Jughead turned to her and took her hand.

“So, do you like diners?” he asked with a smile.

“I do,” Betty said happily. “We have the most wonderful diner in Riverdale and I really miss it. It’s the only thing about that place that I miss.”

“Well, let me take you to my diner,” Jughead said softly, giving her hand a squeeze. “Is that okay? It’s nothing fancy and this is a date and…”

“Stop,” Betty said quickly. “This entire day has been absolutely perfect and I can’t think of a better place to eat than a great diner. I know how much you love food and you wouldn’t take me anywhere that wasn’t amazing.”

“One day we’ll do a super fancy date,” he said, pulling her into his side. “I’ll even wear a suit.”

“I would almost kill to see that,” Betty laughed. “And maybe one day I’ll take you to my diner.” 

“I’d like that,” Jughead said in excitement. “Well, the diner I love is in Brooklyn, my old stomping grounds, if you don’t want to go, I understand.” Betty squeezed his hand and kissed his cheek.

“It’s fine Jug,” she insisted. “I can’t wait.”

“It’s just kind of a run down area and….”

“Jughead,” Betty said gently, touching his face. “I don’t care. I want to go.” Jughead nodded to his friend and the car started moving. “You know I’ve never brought anyone back there since I left. I mean, I dated a couple of girls from there before I left, but never went back after.”

“How come?” she asked.

“I guess I didn’t want to be judged? I mean, if I’m being an honest, it’s not a good way to make a first impression,” he said with a laugh. “Taking a girl I like back to the hellhole I come from. The neighbourhood isn’t for the faint of heart and can be dangerous.”

“So why are you taking me?” she wondered.

“Because I know you won’t judge me and because I really want you to try a burger from Carla’s diner because it may be the best thing you’ve ever eaten and I want you to experience it at least once,” he smiled.

“Well,” she said matter of factly. “If you couldn’t bring any of those girls back here because you were afraid of their reaction, then you didn’t belong with any of those girls.”

“Where have you been all my life?” he asked softly.

“Finding you.” 

His soft look at her answer made her want to straddle his lap and kiss the life right out of him but she didn’t think the driver would appreciate the show so she just settled for another cheek kiss. She sat back and pulled out her lipgloss and reapplied and fixed her hair in the mirror and straightened her clothes, trying to get back to the crisp clean look that she’d had when they left the apartment. 

“You look amazing,” Jughead said quietly, his eyes roaming over her face.

“Thank you,” Betty said with a soft blush. No matter how they joke and flirt, it was the soft moments that brought out the pretty pink blush on her cheeks.

When they got to the diner and climbed out, Betty had a quick look around and she understood why Jughead hadn’t wanted to bring her. The area had seen better days, but nonetheless, the people she saw seemed happy and smiled at her as they passed. She briefly wondered how far from there Jughead had lived and what it was like for him as a child. He took her hand and led her into the diner and it was like Betty had gone back in time 50 years. It was a true 50/60s diner in all sense of the word and it’s charm warmed her all the way to her core. 

“Oh my god, as I live and breathe, Jughead Jones!” an older gentleman exclaimed, hurrying out from behind the counter. He enveloped Jughead in a hug that lifted him off is feet and he laughed and hugged the man back.

“Hey Thomas,” he said happily, slapping the man on the back when he finally put him down. The man turned to Betty and smiled so big she couldn’t help but smile back and Jughead took her hand and pulled her into his side.

“And who is this lovely ray of sunshine?” he asked.

“I’m Betty,” she answered before Jughead could even speak. “I’m his girlfriend.” She felt him give her a squeeze and she smiled up at him.

“You a good woman?” Thomas asked teasingly.

“She’s amazing,” Jughead answered for her.

“Good, good! God knows, you deserve to have a good woman. You have yourself a good man, Betty dear. Well, Mr. Jones, how did you manage to snag yourself such a beauty?” the man asked with a wink in her direction.

“She feeds me, I fell in love,” Jughead said casually. Betty felt her heart warm and she giggled at the ruckus laughter that escaped old Thomas.

“Well, that’ll do it sweetheart. Anybody who knows Jughead knows the way to win him over is with food. You remind me of my sweet Carla, bless her soul, she passed 10 years back but it was her good cookin’ that made me fall in love,” Thomas said with a smile. He leaned closer and added – “But she also knew how to love a man, in all sorts of way.” Betty blushed and Jughead laughed.

“Okay Thomas, go get us some bacon cheeseburgers with fries and onion rings,” he said, giving the man a friendly shove. “And make an order to go.” Thomas nodded and headed back into the kitchen. They settled in a booth and Betty chose to sit beside Jughead rather than across from him. She snuggled against him and touched his face, pulling him down for a soft kiss.

“Thank you for bringing me here,” she said softly and he grinned and gave her another kiss. “Will anybody else know you?” she asked when she pulled away. 

“I don’t know, probably not,” Jughead said. “It’s Sunday and most everybody I know from around here is either at the clubhouse with family or they go to a ball game. Never know though, but I’d rather save gang introductions for another day,” he added with a laugh. She smiled at him and leaned her head on his shoulder. His hand was brushing up and down her arm and as hungry as she was, she was starting to hunger for something else. She looked up at him and found him watching her, his eyes dark and hungry and she had a feeling he wasn’t thinking about food either.

“Dessert comes after,” he whispered in her ear with a smile. She flushed and turned her face into his shirt. “I can’t wait to touch you,” he whispered again and she shivered, clenching her thighs together. 

“Behave,” she sighed. He chuckled and the sound was so arousing, she almost moaned. A few minutes later, Thomas came out with the food and some drinks.

“There you go darlings,” he said with a smile. “Please enjoy and Jughead, don’t let this lovely get away,” he said as he winked and walked away. 

“I won’t,” Jughead said softly and Betty smiled at him. This entire day had been amazing so far and she knew that her fears from the night before were unfounded. This wasn’t just lust or infatuation, she never wanted to be without him. “Okay, babe, take a bite of that burger and tell me what you think.” Betty picked it up and managed to take a big bite and he grinned when some sauce landed on her chin, and he swept it up with his thumb as she chewed.

“Oh wow, this is amazing,” she finally managed. “Why does this taste so good?” she asked, staring at the burger. 

“I have no idea,” Jughead laughed. “He won’t tell me what he puts in the beef, but wow, that’s like heaven, isn’t it.” She nodded and eagerly took another bite. The fries and onion rings were amazing too and they laughed and ate until every bite was gone. 

“I can’t believe I ate the whole thing,” Betty said in surprise. 

“You were hungry,” he offered. “I like me a woman who can eat. Let's try on your jeans when we get home, see if they’re more snug.”

“Shut up,” she laughed, smacking his arm.

“You’re so tiny,” Jughead said with a smile. “You have zero to worry about if you gain weight and who cares anyway. If your mother made you insecure about that, I think I should give her a piece of my mind.”

“Maybe one day you can,” Betty laughed.

“So,” he said, tugging on a curl that lay against her shoulder. “You ready for dessert?” The way he said it made her stomach clench and flutter and she bit her lip and nodded. Jughead wanted to pay but Thomas insisted it was on the house and that they come back soon and it was Betty who promised that they would. Jughead smiled happily and took the extra food and they headed out to the car. He handed the food to Bill who thanked him in excitement and Betty smiled. There was no getting around it. Jughead Jones was a good man.

They drove back to their side of the city in relative silence, both eager to just get there and there really wasn’t any more teasing that needed to be done. His hand though, resting on her bare thigh felt like a brand as it burned her skin and she had imagines of that same hand all over her. They had already had sex twice but it was different this time. It wouldn’t be quick and fast. Betty knew he would make good of the promises he had teased her with earlier before they left the apartment and her entire body was already buzzing at the thought.

Once they got home and inside the door, locking it securely, she took his face and kissed him. His arms immediately came around her and he hauled her up against him, kissing her hungrily. His tongue sank into her mouth and she moaned, her hands tugging on his hair, pressing closer. They kicked off their shoes and his hands slid over her backside, pulling her up to press against him. His body hard and strong and she didn’t think she would ever get tired of his strong arms around her. 

“I had a good time today, Jug,” she breathed against his mouth. 

“Promise?” he asked, his mouth leaving delicate kisses across her jaw. 

“The best date I’ve ever been on,” she insisted. Jughead pulled back slowly and smiled at her. 

“Really?”

“I swear,” she said as she nodded happily. She stepped back and he frowned. “We’ve been out all day and I just want to freshen up,” she said softly, her cheek holding a slight blush.

“Okay,” he smiled. 

“My bed or yours,” she asked shyly. 

“Yours,” he answered. “It’s prettier.” She grinned and backed away. 

“5 minutes,” she said and she hurried down the hall and into the bathroom. They hadn’t done anything really for her to worry about not being clean but she quickly gave herself a sponge bath of sorts and redressed and jumped nervously when there was a soft knock on the door. She opened it and he was leaning against the doorframe, smiling at her. 

“It’s only been 4 minutes, but I couldn’t wait,” he said softly. He held out his hand and she took it, suddenly feeling nervous and shy. He managed to get to her bedroom door before he took her face in his hands and kissed her and her shyness evaporated as soon as his mouth touched hers and her arms went around his neck, pulling herself closer. He backed into the room and they stumbled their way to the bed, her hands tugging on his shirt and he pulled it off and she smoothed her hands over his skin, feeling the muscle and strength. Betty danced her finger tips along the waist band of his jeans and smiled when his stomach muscle contracted. 

“You’re so beautiful,” he said softly, and she lifted her head to look at him, the heat in his eyes nearly making her knees buckle. His hands reached for her shirt and she lifted her arms and he slowly pulled it up and over her head and then holding her gaze, he undid the button of her shorts and slowly pushed them down her hips and they fell, landing at her ankles. She was breathing heavy and he just looked at her in her pretty white lacy lingerie and when his eyes came back to hers they were filled with hunger. She curled her toes into the rug at her feet and pressed her hands together nervously, feeling like they hadn’t already been with each other. Jughead lifted her chin with his finger and ducked his head and placed a soft kiss on her mouth. She let out a soft whimper at the touch of his lips and sagged against him as his arms came around her. When his tongue stroked against her lip she opened to him and her arms stole around his neck. His hands moved down over her hips and he lifted her and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he kissed her. She kissed him back eagerly, her hands sliding into his hair, her body trembling with need and his hand pulled down her bra strap, one of her breasts spilling free. 

“I need you,” Jughead murmured as he lifted her a little higher, his mouth moving down and closing over her nipple and Betty moaned, arching her back as he suckled gently. His mouth moved across her chest to take the other nipple in his mouth as he turned toward the bed and let her slowly slide down his body, his hips nudging gently as she slid past his obvious arousal and he lifted his head to take her mouth again. 

Jughead lifted her again and slowly lowered her to the bed and she was trembling already, the look in his eyes making her ache all over. He settled over her, taking her mouth in a slow, lazy kiss. His tongue stroked against hers as his hands slowly moved down her body, caressing lightly, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake. She dug her nails into his arms as his mouth moved down her neck, sucking lightly at the skin as he went. He paused and braced over her, smiling down at her and she touched her hands to his face, pulling him back down and he kept moving, reaching her chest and once again swirling his tongue around the dusty peaks, sucking them into his mouth until they were puckered and firm against his tongue, his hands reaching behind her and unclipping her bra and tossing it aside.

“Jug,” she breathed, and he lifted up and smiled down at her, moving slowly and teasingly against her. His eyes moved down to her chest and again he just looked at her, hungry and needy and he dipped his head again, licking his tongue over the nipples and she let out a soft cry, sliding her hand into his hair and holding him to her.

“So beautiful,” he whispered against her skin as he nipped gently and she arched into his mouth, her hips lifting to find relief for the ache between her thighs. 

“Remember what I said yesterday?” he asked, licking over her skin. “How I couldn’t wait to get my mouth on you, to taste you, to have you come on my tongue?” She shuddered and whimpered at his words, so aroused already, she knew he wouldn’t have to work hard to make that happen. His mouth moved down, his tongue sliding over her stomach, dipping lightly into her bellybutton before continuing lower. It was a slow, methodical journey and she was breathing heavy by the time she felt his breath fan over her center through her lace. 

Jughead lifted up and hooked his fingers into the waistband of her panties and looked up at her. She licked her lips and nodded and he pulled them down slowly and then she lay naked in front of him and she had never felt more like a woman in all her life. He looked like he wanted to devour her and she couldn’t help the tiny whimper that left her mouth as he licked his lips, his eyes resting at the apex of her thighs. She gripped the sheets as his hands smoothed along her thighs, and she bent her knees as she pulled her legs up slightly and slowly parted them, opening herself to him. 

“Fuck,” he muttered when he saw her glistening for him already, his hand moving down to touch her. “You’re so wet, Betty. Is that all for me?” he asked softly, holding her gaze while he slowly slid a finger inside her. 

“Yes,” she breathed. 

“God, I’ve dreamed about tasting you,” he growled as he parted her further and bent down and she pressed her head back on the bed with a low moan when his tongue stroked over her. 

“Oh my God,” she gasped as he swirled around her clit and down, pressing into her. He groaned against her and grabbed one of her legs and draped it over his shoulder and pressed the other one to the side and she lay open to him as he drove her out of her mind. His finger slid inside her again and his tongue licked over her folds and she ran her hand through his hair, lifting to him with a whimper. She felt his teeth tug on her lip and her hips jerked and he laughed softly against her, the sound vibrating up inside her. 

Jughead felt her legs start to shake and slid another finger inside, moving them slowly in and out. He groaned at the feel and taste of her. He could feel her getting close and when he felt her tighten slightly he pulled back and stopped the movement of his fingers. She moaned in protest and he smiled against her thigh, biting her skin gently.

“Please, Jug,” she begged, lifting her hips, chasing his mouth. He lifted his head and looked at her. She leaned up on her elbows and looked at him. “Don’t stop,” she begged. He held her gaze and again raked his tongue over her and she fell back again, her hand gripping his hair. Jughead set on her with earnest and curling his fingers, he sucked her clit and she fell apart, his name echoing around the room. He groaned as her release covered his tongue as her thighs squeezed on his head, her body clenching on his fingers. He pushed her legs apart again and kept going, lapping at her, his tongue swirling, his teeth grazing, his fingers pressing. 

“I promised to make you fall apart until all you can remember was my name,” he said gruffly, as he bit her thigh.

“Fuck,” she moaned when he pushed his tongue inside her. “Jug, please,” she moaned. She didn’t know if she was begging him to stop or to continue, her body was so wound up, she couldn’t think. Jughead eased up slightly, his hand moving slowly up her leg, his tongue slowing to almost lazy and then he latched on and sucked and another intense orgasm once again blazed through her and her nails dug into his shoulders as she wilted into the sheets. Jughead left one last lingering kiss on her and slowly lifted up, kneeling between her legs, his hand wiping over his mouth. He gazed down at her, his eyes hooded and filled with desire.

Betty watched as he undid his belt and she sat up, her hands scrambling to undo his button and pull down his zipper. He grinned at her eager movements and helped as she shoved his jeans down and then his boxers. He stood to kick them off and her eyes fastened on his arousal, her mouth going dry. She remembered what he felt like and felt her body clench at the memory.

“Inside me, please,” she begged, her body still spinning but she was desperate to feel him fill her. Jughead crawled over her and settled between her thighs, his hard length sliding over her slick folds. “Please,” she begged again and he held her gaze and slid himself inside her.

“Fuck,” he groaned as she gripped him like a vice, her body bowing off the bed, her gasp echoing around the room. She barely got her lungs to breathe again when he suddenly pulled out and moved down again, once again setting his mouth to her. 

“Fuck, Jug, I can’t,” she cried out, her flesh too sensitive but he didn’t care as his tongue licked and swirled over and in her. “Fuck,” she gasped, bucking against him and he groaned as he raked his teeth lightly over her clit, sliding his fingers inside her once again. She was shaking and he licked and sucked at her swollen bundle until she gripped his hair in her hand and once again fell apart, his name sobbing from her mouth, her body covered in a sheen of sweat. She felt like she couldn’t breathe as he gave one last long lick and suck and kissed his way back up her body. He had his hand wrapped around himself, stroking slowly as he brushed the tip over her overly sensitive core and she whimpered and shook her head.

“I need you inside me Juggie, please,” she begged. Taking care with her over stimulated core, Jughead slowly slid inside her and she cried out at the intense pleasure. He sank in to the hilt and then he stilled, his hands smoothing her hair from her face, his blue eyes burning into hers. He lowered his head and kissed her as he began to slowly move inside her. She took a shuddering breath, not sure if her body could take anymore. Jughead moved slowly, trying to keep from overwhelming her, his mouth feathering kisses over hers, whispering how beautiful she was and how she was his everything. Betty let out a sob, his words like a beautiful assault on her heart.

Her legs came up and wrapped around him, pulling him closer and he groaned and kissed her hungrily, his tongue pressing into her mouth, rubbing against hers as he moved faster, desperate now for release. 

“One more time, Betty,” he whispered against her mouth. “Can you come with me?” 

“Yes,” she moaned, arching against him, wrapping her legs tighter. He reached between them, stroking his fingers over her and she jerked at the touch, the pleasure bordering almost on pain. He eased slightly, feeling her wince against his mouth.

“You ok?” he worried, lifting his head to look at her. She nodded and he gently brushed against her as he moved slowly. He knew she was tender and he kept it slow, groaning at the need to drive hard into her. After a few moments she dug her nails into his back and arched against him. 

“Harder Juggie,” she gasped and he groaned and drove harder, faster, his head dropping to her neck, his mouth latching to her skin. He tried to keep his fingers gently but she bucked hard against him and he applied more pressure as he thrust hard into her. He could feel himself starting to lose it and he lifted his head and looked down into her eyes.

“Come with me,” he gasped, feeling his orgasm build and his gut tightened, her body clutching at him, pulling on him as she once again fell apart, pulling his orgasm from him as it ripped through him like fire in his veins. He let out a long groan as he stiffened and shuddered, feeling his body empty deep inside her. He moved through it, her walls still quivering around him and he felt her on every inch that was buried inside her. When he couldn’t hold himself anymore, he collapsed on her and she was wrapped all around him, her grip tight.

They lay unmoving until he felt her weakly nudge him and he slowly lifted, both of them wincing at the drag against their over sensitive flesh. He eased to the side and immediately pulled her tightly to him, not wanting to lose the feel of her warmth against him. 

“Holy shit,” she breathed when she could finally speak. All he could manage was a smirk. “You’re… that was…ive never…that many…..you’re really good at that,” she gasped, her brain unable to form a proper sentence.

“I like to eat,” he said, his breathing still heavy. Betty went still and then burst into a flurry of giggles that she couldn’t seem to stop and soon he joined in and they laughed until they had no more energy to continue.

“We should go shower,” she sighed as she rested her head on his chest.

“That requires walking,” he groaned. “I’m not sure I can at the moment.”

“That was really amazing Jug,” Betty said, kissing his skin. “I’ve never been so insanely satisfied,” she said with a sated sigh. “I feel ravished.”

“I’ve never wanted to satisfy someone so thoroughly,” he chuckled. “I’ve never tasted anything so good either,” he added, and she blushed, hiding her face in his neck. “I think you taste better than Thomas’s burgers.” She started giggling again and peeked up at him.

“It’s never been like that for you?” she asked.

“Never,” he said honestly. 

“Why do you think it’s so good?” 

“You feed me?” he suggested. 

“Clearly,” she giggled. 

“Dirty girl,” he teased and she bit his neck. “I think it’s because we’re certain we’re in love,” he said softly, and she smiled against his neck. 

“Well, it might kill me when we’re sure sure then,” she murmured.

“I promise I’ll be gentle,” he said with a grin.

“You seem pretty certain we’ll get there,” she teased, as he pulled the sheet over them. They were still sticky and sweaty and neither cared.

“I’m pretty sure sure,” he whispered as they drifted off to sleep.


	9. Everything

Living with and falling in love with Betty Cooper was the best thing that ever happened to Jughead. Since the moment he met her, it was like light had pierced his heart and since the day they started dating and said confused “I love you’s” it was like that light had completely flooded his heart. Like the morning after their date when he woke up alone because she had gone to work and he found a sticky note on his forehead.

_Stay as long as you want and please don’t ever forget where I live_

He had smiled the rest of the day and still had the note stuck to the top of his laptop screen so he could see it every time he was writing. 

It had been three and a half weeks now and not much in their lives had really changed. They still went everywhere together, held hands, snuggled on the couch. Everything was as it had been, except now he got to kiss her whenever he wanted, he got to shower and bathe with her and then proceed to drive her out of her mind. He still had odd hours and sometimes they didn’t really see each other for a few days, except this time, he got to crawl into bed with her when he got home and more often than not, a light kiss woke her right up and the middle of the night, half asleep sex was as amazing as the fully awake, aware of everything sex. 

He had never had a woman respond to him like she did. Eager, hungry, begging. He had to admit, it was an ego boast and turned him on more than he could explain. And when she took control in bed, it was mind blowing and he was man enough to admit, she could get him to beg as well. At first they had wondered if it was so amazing because neither had had sex in months but it just got better every time and he had told her just last night, it was all her. Sex with Betty, was in a word, mindblowing.

Everything else was amazing too. Now, when she saw him, her eyes would light up and she didn’t hide how much she wanted him and her eyes told him every day that she loved him, but they were still holding back in saying it willingly and completely without adding that they were _pretty certain_. He didn’t know at this point if each of them were just waiting for the other to say it first or if they were still _waiting to see._ All he knew was that he didn’t want to ever be without her and that when she wasn’t with him, he missed her. He wasn’t going to lie to himself, he’d been falling for her since the day he met her and he was completely in love. He knew it wasn’t going to _fizzle_ as she had worried, but he’d wait with her if that’s what she wanted.

It was Wednesday and he didn’t have a shift at the bar later, so he thought maybe he should cook for Betty. Truthfully though, as much as he liked to eat, he wasn’t the best cook and she was phenomenal at it, so feeding her his mediocre cooking wasn’t the best idea. As he was contemplating the evening, which he hoped ended up naked under the sheets, his phone rang. He didn’t recognize the number and hit answer.

“Hey,” he said, as he got up and went to the fridge to rummage.

“Hi Jug, it’s JB,” the voice on the end spoke softly. Jughead straightened in surprise.

“Hi!” he said with a smile. “It’s good to hear your voice.”

“Yours too,” she said and he could hear the smile when she spoke.

“How are you? Is everything okay?? I didn't recognize your number,” he mentioned. He hadn't talked to her in a few months and he hadn’t realized just how much he missed her.

“Yeah, yeah, everything is fine and I got a new phone and carrier, so new number. I’m actually in New York for a few days.”

“Really?”

“Yes. It’s dad’s 50th on Friday. I thought it was a pretty big birthday and I should probably be in town for it. Are you going to the party?”

“Oh, well, I don’t know actually, I haven’t thought much about it,” Jughead said quietly. He father had text him a few days ago telling him the Serpents were throwing him a big party and he would love if he could come. Jughead told him he would think about it.

“You guys still not talking?” she asked softly.

“No, we are…it’s just….i’m thinking about it,” he said with a sigh. “It’s a process. Where are you right now? You with dad?”

“No, I’m actually in a cab,” JB laughed. “I was going to go to dad’s but figured maybe I’d come see you first. Where you living these days?”

 

Betty leaned against the counter at work and flipped through an antique catalogue. The owner of the store had told her to shop for some new pieces and see if there was any deals on books at auction. Besides her book restoration, she also made a healthy commission on any items she found for the store at a good deal. Ginny was busy wiping down another desk they had gotten in and humming along to whatever song was in her head.

“Did you ever find out who that person was that bought that other desk you loved so much?” she asked as she inspected her work.

“No. They didn’t want our delivery service and a moving van showed up one day with a signed work order and letter from the purchaser to pick up the desk and it was taken and that’s the last I saw it. I kind of wanted to cry a little bit,” Betty sighed.

“Did you try googling the name?” Ginny asked.

“I don’t think our boss would appreciate us stalking his customers,” Betty laughed. Ginny gave her a look.

“Since when has that ever stopped you?” she asked with a smirk.

“I don’t know, I guess I wasn’t that interested. Whoever this person was, he bought my desk and I decided to not like him.”

“Your desk?”

“I’m pretending. Leave me alone,” Betty said with a smile. She went back to her catalogue and the smile stayed on her face.

“So,” Ginny said with a smile of her own. “How are things with the new boyfriend? You know, the hot roommate you told me you weren’t going to touch and are now apparently having amazing sex with.” Betty’s grin only got wider. “That good, huh?” 

“Oh my god,” Betty finally moaned out, sinking against the counter in an exaggerated show of weak knees. “I’m telling you Ginny, I can’t even explain to you how amazing he is. How wonderful and kind and sweet. His kisses. The way he touches me. The way he’s always touching me, like if he’s near me, he just _has_ to touch me. And sexy. Ginny, that man is sexy as fuck. His body is just….i mean the sex is just…..”

“Okay okay,” the other woman laughed. “Now you’re just being mean.”

“And he loves me Ginny. He’s in love with unexciting little me.”

“Hey, you’re exciting,” Ginny protested. “You’re smart and sweet and you two seem to mesh well, because it’s very obvious you’re in love with him too.”

“I am,” Betty said softly. “I think he’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I’ve never met anyone so kind and sweet and supportive. He takes care of me, even when he doesn’t need to. Even before we were dating he was taking care of me. His past didn’t affect him the way it would most and the fact that he rose above it and made something of himself; he’s an incredible writer and he’s just amazing.”

“A book restorer and a writer, gee, almost as if it was meant to be,” Ginny laughed. Betty just smiled and paged through the catalogue. She glanced at the time and saw it was only a couple of more hours and then it would be time to end the day and she couldn’t have been happier. She missed his beautiful face and he had the evening off and she could not wait to get home to him. 

Home. A place that now included Jughead and she had never been happier.

 

When Betty did manage to finally get home, an hour later than she intended because they had a last minute customer who just couldn’t decide which book he wanted and since they were both very expensive, they let him take his time. By the time she let herself into the apartment, she was ready to throw herself into Jughead’s arms. He wasn’t in the front room and she secretly hoped he was napping because it was oh so much fun to wake him up. He wasn’t in her room, which she actually now considered _theirs_ and went to open his door.

It took a moment for it to register in Betty’s brain, just what she was seeing as she pushed the door open and stared in surprise. The young woman standing by the bed in only her bra and panties froze and stared back in shock. Betty furrowed her brow in confusion as she looked at her and for whatever reason, thought she looked oddly familiar. 

“Do I know you?” she asked when she found her voice and then before the woman could answer, Betty quickly closed the door. She frowned at it and then walked slowly to the kitchen. She got there just as Jughead came through the door. His face lit up when he saw her and then he frowned at the look on her face.

“Are you okay?” he asked, putting down the bag he had in his hands.

“Do you know there’s a half naked woman in your room?” Betty asked, still a little shocked. He looked at her in confusion and then his eyes widened.

“Oh shit,” he gasped, just as said woman came running out of the room, still buttoning her jeans. 

“Oh my god, I am so sorry,” she exclaimed hurriedly and Betty looked at her and then back at Jughead. She looked several times and then comprehension flitted across her face.

“You’re his sister,” she stated in surprise.

“Yes, oh my god, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to freak you out,” she exclaimed.

“You didn’t freak me out,” Betty smiled.

“But you didn’t know who I was and I was in Jughead’s room. That didn’t freak you out?” the girl asked, looking from her to her brother. “He told me you were dating.”

“We are.”

“And that didn’t upset you?”

“No, why would it?” Betty asked, feeling confused by the question. Jughead smiled and came to stand beside her.

“Um, there was a woman in her underwear in your boyfriend’s bedroom that you didn’t know?”

“Oh, well, I was a little shocked, but I know Jughead wouldn’t cheat on me,” Betty said with a smile. “I assumed there was an explanation.”

“Wow, you’re like a freak of nature,” the girl said with a laugh.

“JB!” Jughead snapped and Betty just laughed. She turned to Jughead.

“A warning would have been nice,” she chided. 

“I ran to the store to get some snacks because I ate them all and I thought I’d be back before you got here,” he said sheepishly. “I honestly never even thought to send a text, I was so surprised and happy to see her, I kind of forgot.”

“It’s okay,” Betty said taking his hand. “You don’t need to explain.” His sister stood and watched the exchange and waited for them to notice her. Betty turned to her and smiled, holding out her hand. “I’m Betty, it’s nice to meet you.”

“Hi Betty, you can call me JB, short for Jellybean,” the girl said and then paused and waited for what Betty was assumed was a reaction to her name. She said nothing and JB flicked a gaze at Jughead and then smiled. “I’ve heard a lot about you,” she said with a laugh. “Like for the last 3 hours, Jughead hasn’t shut up about you.” Betty flushed and leaned back against him and his arm came around her waist.

“Can you excuse us, JB?” Betty asked softly and took Jughead's hand and led him down the hall and into their bedroom. As soon as he closed the door, he started talking.

“I’m so sorry hon, honestly, I….” She didn’t let him finish as she grabbed his face and pressed her mouth to his. He groaned and wrapped his arms around her, hauling her to him and kissing her back eagerly. By the time they pulled apart, her arms were wrapped tightly around his neck and his hands were gripping her backside. “What was that for?” he asked breathlessly. 

“I missed you so much today and I didn’t think your sister would enjoy watching me maul you,” she sighed. Jughead smiled and kissed her again, slowly and thoroughly and she melted against him and then let out a giggle as he lifted her off her feet and walked toward the bed. “We can’t,” she moaned, wanting to so badly, but keeping her wits about her. He didn’t listen to her protests and then his feet got tangled in the rug beside her bed and they fell clumsily onto the sheets in a burst of laughter. He shifted so he was settled over her and kissed the tip of her nose.

“I missed you too,” he said softly. “I was going to cook you dinner and then realized that I suck at cooking and then I was planning an evening for us and then my sister called and it all went out the window,” he explained. He kissed her again and she wrapped her legs around him and he sighed into her mouth. “If you don’t want me to rip your clothes off, you probably shouldn’t do that,” he said gruffly. She loved how much he wanted her and she smiled and tightened her legs. “Betty…” he growled.

“Kiss me again and we can go back out, I thought about your kiss all day and i…” he cut her off with his mouth and she moaned into it, her tongue stroking against his. God, would she ever not want him so much? “Why are you so hot?” she asked breathlessly when his mouth moved down her neck. He chuckled against her skin and she gave him a whimper when he lightly bit her earlobe. He lifted his head and stared down at her for a moment.

“You really didn’t think anything bad when you saw JB in my room, not knowing who she was?” he asked softly. Betty smiled and shook her head.

“I mean, I was really surprised and was very confused but no, my brain didn’t jump to you cheating, I know you wouldn’t do that.”

“How do you know?” he asked with a smile.

“Because you’re certain that you love me,” she whispered. A few minutes later she had to gently push him away, gasping for air because both their hands seemed to have a mind of their own as their clothes were suddenly starting to come off between fevered tongue filled kisses. “We can’t right now,” she sighed, and with a frustrated groan, he pulled back and quickly stood. 

“Later,” he growled, his eyes heated and dark and she bit her lip and blushed as they quickly righted their clothes. She smoothed her hair and they headed back out to the kitchen. JB was leaning standing by the book case looking at books and turned when she heard them and raised an eyebrow.

“You guys totally made out, didn’t you?” she grinned. Betty blushed and her hand flew to her hair thinking she hadn’t fixed it enough. “Oh it’s not the hair, Betty,” JB giggled. “Jughead has the goofiest grin on his face and you just look….well you guys just look like you made out.” Jughead wrapped her arms around Betty from the back and kissed her hair.

“Yes, sis, we made out because we haven’t seen each other properly for a few days and since we usually do it against the wall or on the counter, we removed ourselves so we wouldn’t gross you out.”

“For God’s sake, Jughead,” Betty sighed and rolled her eyes. 

“Eww, I didn’t need the details,” JB said with a grimace. She focused her attention back on Betty and smiled. “I haven’t seen my brother in almost a year and I have to say, this looks good on him, this relationship. I was always hoping he would find somebody who would care this much about him no matter what.”

“I do,” Betty said softly, finding Jughead’s hand and squeezing it.

“So is it true? Did you really shove him into a shrub?” Betty burst out laughing at the question and grinned.

“I sure did,” she said happily. Seems that Jughead hadn’t left out anything, and she didn’t know if she should be mortified or not. JB seemed to have realized what she was thinking.

“Don’t worry, I didn’t hear ALL the details,” she laughed. They all made their way to the couch and sat down. “I’m in town for my dad’s birthday. Did Jughead mention it?” Betty felt Jughead stiffen beside her and she looked at him.

“Umm, no he didn’t…” she said slowly.

“There’s going to be a big party because he’s 50 and Jughead wasn’t sure if he was going,” JB explained. 

“Why wouldn’t you go?” Betty asked curiously. She knew the relationship between Jughead and his father wasn’t 100% fixed yet, but she figured it was at the point where he would want to celebrate such a milestone.

“He invited me the other day and I just told him I wasn’t sure,” Jughead explained with a shrug.

“You don’t want to go?”

“It’s not that I don’t want to go, I just….well I wouldn’t want to go without you,” he explained and she furrowed her brow in confusion.

“Well, I would go with you, you know that,” Betty said softly. They were quiet for a while and then Jellybean spoke.

“I think I know why he’s reluctant,” she said quietly. Betty looked at her. “The party is at the gang clubhouse. He probably doesn’t want you around a gang that he left. Or maybe he’s afraid you won’t want to be?”

“Okay, I can speak for myself JB, seriously,” Jughead said, his annoyance clear. He turned to Betty. “But yeah, basically what she said,” he added quietly.

“Jug, if you want to go, I’ll go with you. I promise I don’t mind,” she insisted.

“Betty, these men are…” he began to protest.

“Jug, it’s your father. He’s only going to turn 50 once and I don’t want you to miss it. I mean, how bad can it be?” she asked with a shrug. Jughead laughed and ran a hand through his hair.

“Well, like I said, this is a gang. They really should all be in jail and a lot of them are furious with me because they consider me a deserter and took my father’s side of things, obviously. I don’t know how welcome I’ll be,” he explained.

“Well, this is about your father, not about them,” Betty insisted.

“She’s right, Jughead,” JB said firmly. “Who cares what they all think, nobody there would dare disrespect you if you’re there with dad’s blessing, you know that. And nobody would disrespect Betty either, unless they want to get punched. From what dad has told me, you may not have wanted the gang life, but you could scrap as well as the rest of them.” Jughead blushed at that and sighed. Betty raised an amused eyebrow.

“I got in some fights,” he explained. “I never lost, let’s just put it that way. I told you, I’ve done some questionable shit.”

“Well, that’s your past and if we have to visit that past to celebrate your father, then that’s what we’ll do.”

“Okay,” he said with a small smile. “It’s on Friday.” 

“Then our Friday night is planned,” Betty said with a smile.

Jellybean stayed the night at the insistence of Betty, who cited that they now had an extra room, even though it was still full of Jughead’s things. They spent the evening getting to know one another and she decided she loved Jellybean Jones. The girl had a fresh and excited view about everything and it was refreshing to find someone not yet worn down by life. Betty mostly let Jughead and Jellybean have the conversation as they were not in each other’s lives and had a lot to say. As the evening wore on, tucked against Jughead’s side, she fell asleep.

Jughead adjusted her so she was more comfortable, pressing a kiss to her hair. Jellybean watched him, smiling.

“You really love her, don’t you?” she asked softly.

“I do,” he answered with a smile. “I can’t believe someone like her wants to be with me,” Jughead admitted.

“Why not?” Jellybean asked. “I know we don’t see each other or talk to each other a lot, but you’re a good guy Jug, I know that, and anybody who knows you knows that. I don’t understand why you’re so hard on yourself and why you don’t think you deserve good things.”

“I don’t know,” he murmured. “Force of habit over the years, I guess. Ex-gang member, not exactly the life of the party….”

“Seems like you’re the life of her party,” Jellybean teased.

“Yeah,” he said with a soft smile.

“Well, I can assure you that she feels the same. I don’t know if you notice, but she looks at you like you hung the moon, so cherish her.”

“I plan to,” Jughead assured her. When they finally went to bed, he carried her in and gently laid her down and covered her with the sheets before going to lock up the doors and windows and then slipping under the sheets with her. She immediately rolled into him and sighed happily.

“I’m sorry we didn’t get our evening alone together,” he said softly. Betty slowly opened her eyes and looked at him.

“Jug, we’re together all the time,” she said sleepily. “It’s totally fine, believe me.” She lifted her head and kissed him and he sighed into her mouth, his body pressing against hers. “Do you want to?” she asked, waking up a little more, her hands sliding over his skin.

“Do you even have to ask?” he questioned with a grin. “But you have to get up for work.” 

“Seriously?” she laughed. “When has that ever stopped you when you crawl in here after your bar shift?”

“That’s true,” he chuckled as he shifted so he lay between her legs. He pulled her shirt off and dipped his head to trail his tongue across her skin. She stretched lazily and arched into him like a content cat and it made him groan. It took only seconds to get rid of their remaining articles of clothing and soon he was slipping inside her, his kiss muffling her cry of pleasure. It was a different dynamic having to be quieter because someone else was in the apartment, it wasn’t a problem they had ever had to worry about and it made both of them feel extra naughty and it fueled their fire and they fell apart in mere minutes. 

“God, that was the most glorious 10 minutes of my life,” Betty panted when Jughead rolled to the side. He grinned arrogantly and she giggled when all he managed in reply was a grunt of satisfaction. When they managed to move, they quickly visited the bathroom and then fell into a peaceful sleep, arms wrapped around each other.

 

Friday night, Betty sat with Jughead in a taxi as they headed into south Brooklyn. She was excited and nervous to see just where Jughead had lived the early years of his life and he was nervous for an entirely different reason. He didn’t want to take her there, that much was obvious but she didn’t want him to miss his father’s birthday. Jellybean had left on Thursday and she would be going back to Ohio on Sunday and she figured they should spend as much time together as family as possible.

Finally, the taxi pulled over and Jughead paid the driver and then climbed out and helped her out after him. She smoothed her hands over her shirt and jeans in a nervous gesture and he gave her a small hug.

“We can leave if you want,” he suggested, secretly hoping she’d say yes. She just smiled and shook her head. He took her hand and she glanced at the building they were about to enter. The sign said Whyte Wyrm and there was a serpent emblem on either side of the words. In smaller letters it said Southside Serpents and Jughead had told her that was to make them look a little legit, owning and running a bar, even if nobody but the Serpents frequented it.

They walked in and Betty was astonished at the sea of leather. While Jughead also wore a leather jacket, that she happened to love because it gave him a bit of a dark rough look, his was free of any gang symbols. The jackets around the room all had snakes on the back of different size and appearance. Most everyone she looked at was dangerous looking. Rough in a way that wasn’t sexy, but scary. It was hard to imagine that the sweet man holding her hand was once a part of this. 

People were starting to notice them and were staring, quite a few of them scowling and Betty gripped Jughead’s hand tighter and moved closer to him. If it hadn’t been for the music playing, she was certain the room would have been dead silent.

“Well, well, the prodigal son returns,” a rather unkept man smirked as he stepped in their path, taking a swig of his beer. He looked at Betty and she felt her skin crawl a the way his eyes moved over her. Jughead noticed too and pulled her into his side, his scowl furious.

“Tall Boy,” he bit out, looking more like he’d rather punch the man than have a conversation with him. “Where’s FP?” The man let out a harsh laugh. 

“Where he always is,” he sneered, his eyes again lingering on Betty. “What the matter? Aren’t you even going to ask how I’ve been?”

“Let him pass, Tallboy,” FP barked out from the top of a set of stairs on the right side of the room. He came down the stairs with Jellybean and Betty was a little taken aback at the change. Granted, she had only seen him once and he had been on a hospital bed looking rather pale and sick, but the man coming toward them commanded the room with a mere glance. She had a sudden image of Jughead in that position and she knew, had he not gotten out, he’d be as commanding as his father was. 

In front of the entire bar and sea of Serpents, the gang leader embraced his son and everyone seemed to take a collective step back, as if that was the signal that you didn’t fuck with Jughead Jones because his father had welcomed him back into the fold, whether he was a member or not.

“Come to the back,” Jellybean said with a smile and they walked across the room to an area behind the stairs next to the bar where some couches and chairs sat in a circle. Jughead pulled Betty down with him onto a couch and she leaned into his side. A beautiful woman with pink hair came over.

“Get you guys something to drink?” she asked, her eyes lingering on Jughead. Betty looked at him and he smiled at the girl.

“Hey Toni, I’ll take a beer and Betty will have…” he looked at her and she looked back to the woman.

“A brandy please, if you have it,” she answered.

“Coming right up,” Toni said with another glance at Jughead before she wandered off.

“Old girlfriend?” Betty asked quietly before she thought better of it.

“God, I hope not,” Jellybean exclaimed, having heard Betty’s question. “Before I left with mom I always hated her.”

“You were 10, why did you hate her?” Jughead laughed.

“She was a mean bitch,” JB replied. “Did you date her?”

“No, I didn’t,” Jughead laughed. 

“Why not?”

“What do you mean, why not? You just hoped I hadn’t and now you want to know why not?” Jughead asked, confused.

“Yeah, why not? I mean, she was a bitch but she’s pretty.”

“Wasn’t interested,” Jughead shrugged. His father laughed as he listened to the conversation.

“I can answer that for you,” he said with a smile. Jughead sighed and sat back in the couch, pulling Betty into his side. “Toni was a bed hopper. As in, she didn’t know who she wanted, so she tried them all. Even back then, with girls throwing themselves at him, Jughead wasn’t the type. He found the quiet sweet girls and dated them, so in other words, never a Serpent. Toni always wanted him and chased him relentlessly but he managed to keep her out of his bed, as far as I know.” Betty smiled and looked at Jughead and he shrugged.

“The quiet sweet girls, huh?” she asked. He just smiled and she swore she fell in love with him a little more. Toni brought the drinks and handed Betty hers and with a smirk set Jughead’s on the table in front of them.

“There you go, Forsythe,” she grinned and Betty went still in confusion.

“Forsythe?” she asked, looking at Jughead. He looked like a deer caught in the headlights and she heard the _shit_ he muttered under his breath.

“Forsythe Pendleton Jones, the third,” Toni announced as she backed away, a grin on her face. 

“She also always told dates his real name, which seriously pissed him off,” FP laughed.

“Where have I heard that?” Betty asked, staring at him, her brow furrowed.

“Well, unless he told you his real name, I can’t imagine where,” Jellybean laughed. “I’m Forsythia, by the way.”

“Forsythe Pendleton?” Betty asked and then her eyes widened in shock. She put her drink down and stared at Jughead, who swallowed nervously. “You bought the desk?” she asked in a shocked whisper. Jughead smiled sheepishly.

“I told you I was thinking about buying it,” he said softly.

“But it was, I mean….where is it?” she asked, shaking her head in still obvious confusion.

“What’s going on?” JB asked curiously. 

“Can we talk about this at home?” Jughead asked her softly, squeezing her hand. “Please?”

“Okay,” she agreed, studying his face. She was reeling a little bit and couldn’t believe that he had been the one to buy the desk. Where the hell did he have it and why did he keep it a secret? 

“So, we don’t get to know?” his sister asked with a pout. 

“Sorry, it’s a private matter,” Jughead shrugged and Betty looked at him curiously, wondering why he didn’t want anyone to know. He seemed a little flushed and she couldn’t wait to get home to hear what he had to say. But there was a more pressing matter.

“Is your name seriously Forsythe Pendleton Jones?” she asked with a smirk. He rolled his eyes and took a swig of his beer.

“My dad’s name and he had no sense of taste, I’m guessing,” he answered.

“Hey, that hurts,” FP Jones laughed. “You sound distinguished.”

“Actually, it makes me sound like a pretentious fuddy duddy,” Jughead said, a smile playing on his lips and his eyes twinkling with laughter.

“Oh my god,” Betty groaned, lowering her face into her hands. The conversation she had with him came screaming back and now she understood why he had been laughing so hard. “I can’t believe this is happening.” Jughead once again burst into laughter and she lifted her head and glared at him. “I can’t believe you!” she huffed, smacking his arm with the back of her hand.

“I’m so confused,” Jellybean sighed.

“What the fuck’s a fuddy duddy,” FP asked in confusion. Jughead laughed harder and Betty sat red faced. Before they could discuss it further, someone called FP up on a crappy little stage for a birthday speech and after he resisted and Jellybean begged, he finally went up and was handed a mic.

“Well, I don’t really know what to say except to thank you all for coming out tonight and celebrating 50 with me. If I’m going to be honest, I didn’t really think I’d reach 50,” he said, looking down in his glass. Betty glanced at Jughead and saw his solemn expression and she wrapped her arm around his waist as he sat forward and rested his elbows on his knees. “I haven’t led the best life, haven’t done right by a lot of people in my life, especially my family,” he choked out and Betty saw Jellybean’s eyes fill with tears. “I certainly didn’t do right by my kids and that’s why today is so special for me. They are both here with me and I couldn’t be happier,” FP said, lifting his drink toward JB and Jughead. They smiled and saluted him back. 

A while later, Betty was standing by the bar with JB when Toni walked over, leaning against the edge and smiling at them.

“How’s it going ladies?” she asked, her voice not quite friendly.

“Just fine, Toni,” JB said a little snappishly. Toni rolled her eyes and focused on Betty and she shifted nervously.

“So, how long you been dating Jughead?” she asked.

“Almost 4 months,” Betty said without skipping a beat. She knew it technically wasn’t true, but if one looked at it, they basically had been dating, like everyone thought, they just hadn’t come right out and said it. 

“What do you do?”

“I work with old books and antiques,” Betty said, wondering why the woman cared.

“Well, that explains it,” Toni said with a laugh.

“Explains what?” 

“He always did like the boring ones,” the woman said with a small sneer. “I mean, he’s a writer. I don’t know if a couple could sound more boring,” she laughed. “What do you do for fun? Inspect book covers?” JB gasped beside her and Betty placed her hand on her arm to calm her.

“Well,” she said with a smile. “Actually, our preferred activity is sex. Like, a lot of it. He’s that damn good. I should really find all the women he’s slept with and thank them for all the practice he’s had. It’s too bad you aren’t one of them,” she finished and Toni curled her fist in anger. Betty raised an eyebrow and lifted her chin slightly, holding the woman’s gaze, the dare in her eyes. Toni turned and walked away and JB burst out laughing.

“Okay, that was so good, really gross, but so good. Told you she was a bitch.”

“I probably just made an enemy,” Betty sighed.

“Oh who cares; she hates everyone anyone and she’s clearly still pressed that Jughead paid her no attention. She’s probably also mad that he’s made a great life for himself and she’s still nothing but a law breaking Serpent. I have a feeling she probably always thought he’d come crawling back,” JB explained.

“Who’d come crawling back?” Jughead asked as he came up behind them. Betty turned around and smiled and not caring if anyone saw, well okay, maybe she hoped Toni saw, wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss.

“You’d come crawling back. Right into my arms,” she grinned and he smiled at her.

“Always,” he assured her.

“Ugh, you guys are so cute, I want to barf,” JB said. She motioned to the other bartender who wasn’t Toni and ordered a soda. Despite the gang and it being obvious they didn’t care about a drinking age, FP refused to allow her to drink in his bar. 

As they stood there, two men came up to them and Jughead pulled back, pulling Betty into his side.

“I’d like to introduce you to Sweetpea and Fangs,” he said with a smile. “Maybe the only snakes that don’t hate me.”

“Nobody hates you Jug,” the taller one said as he smiled at Betty, holding out his hand. “You can call me Pea.” Betty was getting so used to the strange names of people in Jughead’s life, she didn’t even blink. 

“Hi,” she said with a smile. She also shook Fangs’ hand, who seemed on the shy side, even with his rough look. He just nodded in greeting. 

"So, you guys have any good stories of Jug as a Serpent?" she asked with a smile.

"Okay, time to go back to the couches," Jughead said with a laugh and the two men just smiled as Jughead dragged her back to the couch where he sat and pulled Betty into his lap. She didn’t know if he just did it out of habit or if he wanted to show everyone that she was his, but she snuggled against his chest regardless. Jellybean caught sight of a scowling Toni and smirked.

“Jesus, you’d think after 5 years of you being gone from here that she’d get over it,” she said with an eyeroll.

“What?” Jughead asked confused. She nodded her head to Toni, who quickly made herself look busy when Jughead looked her way and Betty felt him hold her a little tighter. She turned her head and their faces were only a couple of inches apart.

“You were never tempted by her?” she asked quietly so only he heard.

“I really wasn’t. And it wasn’t because she bed hopped like my dad said, she just wasn’t what I wanted. She’s a full pledged Serpent. Her rap sheet is probably longer than my arm and her idea of fun was trying to boost cars and getting wasted. I liked reading and writing. It would have never worked,” he said with a laugh. “Also, I have a thing for blondes,” he teased, nudging her cheek with his nose.

“That’s good,” she smiled, giving him a soft kiss. “Now, where does a lady go to the washroom around here?” she asked, sitting up. 

“The end of the bar, down the hall to the right,” Jughead told her. “You want me to walk you?” 

“I think I got it,” she laughed as she climbed off his lap. She found the bathroom easily enough and did what she needed and spent a bit of time freshening up and straightening her hair. For a dive gang bar, the woman’s bathroom was pretty clean. There were quite a few women in the leather jackets that she saw and figured they had something to do with it. She finished up and opened the door to head back to Jughead. She had almost made it back to the main room when a Serpent suddenly filled the hallway. She paused, unsure in the shadows who it was and when he came closer with a smirk on his face, she felt her skin crawl. Tallboy.

“Let me pass, please,” she said firmly, trying her best to not look afraid at the way he was leering at her. She knew she only had to scream and Jughead would come running but she didn’t want to cause a scene. The man leaned against the wall, not really leaving enough room for her to walk by in the narrow passage and she gritted her teeth.

“So, looks like the useless little bitch Jughead found himself a pretty lady,” he said, his coarse voice grating on her nerves. Betty refused to let him bait her and tried to squeeze by him. He grabbed her arm and she winced. “Maybe you just like men in leather, hmmmm?”

“Please just let me go,” she asked one more time and he shoved her against the wall, his body pressing against her and she felt herself start to gag. She was about to open her mouth to scream when he was pulled away from her and shoved into the opposite wall, Jughead’s forearm pressed against his throat. It happened so fast, Betty could only gasp. Tallboy struggled and she noticed he was literally dangling off the ground an inch, his face starting to turn red as he struggled to breath. She was astonished at the strength and fury in Jughead.

“Don’t you ever fucking touch her,” he snapped, his face looking like he wanted to kill the man. “Do you understand me?” Tallboy opened his mouth and let out a gasp trying to breathe. “DO YOU?!” He somehow managed a tiny nod and Jughead stepped back and dropped the man, but not before delivering a solid punch to his jaw. Betty jumped out of the way as he slumped to the ground, gasping for air. Jughead stood over him, his fists clenched, still furious. She suddenly had a glimpse of what Jughead the Serpent would look like. Dangerous, scary. She could feel herself shaking and curled her hands into fists as the adrenaline coursed through her. 

“Are you okay?” she asked when Jughead looked at her. 

“Am _I_ ok?” he asked in confusion, taking in her clenched hands and shaking form. He swallowed and slowly unclenched his fist just as FP walked into the hall.

“What the hell happened here?” he asked, looking at Tallboy sprawled on the floor.

“He had Betty pressed against the wall,” Jughead fumed. FP’s eyes narrowed.

“What the fuck?” he barked. Jughead didn’t wait to see what he was going to do; he took Betty’s hand and pulled her further down the hall into what she assumed was FP’s office. He closed the door and took her face in his hands. 

“Are you okay?” he asked softly, still looking angry. He moved his hands and took hers, gently prying her fingers loose and was relieved to see she hadn’t broken any skin. To think that his father’s birthday would be the place where that happened again for the first time in years would have killed him.

“I don’t….I think so,” she said shakily. “Thank you for showing up when you did, I was literally on the verge of screaming.”

“That fucker,” Jughead snapped. “I should go punch his lights out again.” Betty slipped her arms around his back and moved into him. “I’m sorry,” he sighed. “I didn’t ever want you to see that Jughead…” He could feel her trembling and he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. “I think we’ll get out of here now. I don’t want to be here and I don’t want you here either. I’ve paid my respects and now I just want to take you home.” She only nodded against him, thinking there was nowhere else she wanted to be except at home with him, safe in his arms. He gave her a soft kiss and then led her from the office, keeping her safely tucked into his side.

The hallway was clear and when they walked into the bar area, the music had stopped and everybody stared at them and Betty became very uncomfortable. She clutched Jughead’s hand and followed him over to the couch corner where Jellybean sat looking angry and worried. 

“Are you okay?” she asked hurriedly when they walked up.

“Yes, I’m okay,” Betty assured her quickly, not wanting to make a bigger deal as she didn’t want the attention.

“We’re going home,” Jughead said and FP, who had just gotten to the corner, frowned at him. 

“You don’t have to leave,” he insisted. “Tallboy won’t be back tonight.”

“Tonight,” Jughead said with a laugh and shook his head.

“Hey, he’s…” FP started to explain.

“Don’t bother,” Jughead sighed. “I shouldn’t even have come here. I don’t belong here,” he said quietly. “I’m sorry we’re leaving like this but this isn’t the place for us. I hope us leaving doesn’t ruin your birthday.”

“It won’t. I’m glad you came,” FP said with a sigh.

“Typical, Jughead running again,” a snide voice said behind them. Betty felt Jughead go rigid and Jellybean stood angrily. 

“Shut the fuck up,” she snapped at Toni who stood rolling her eyes.

“JB,” Jughead sighed.

“No, don’t tell me to be quiet. I can’t stand her and just so you know, she told Betty earlier that she was boring and that’s why you liked her,” JB said angrily. Jughead looked at Betty.

“It’s okay,” she said quickly.

“I come back here and my girlfriend gets treated like shit. Nice,” he said with a glare at his father. “You can’t control your fucking snakes for one god damned night?”

“Come on Jug, you know how it is,” FP shrugged. “Everyone’s a little rough around the edges. You know this and you still came.”

“I didn’t even want to be here,” Jughead said furiously. “She’s the one who convinced me to come and I tried to warn her but she insisted because she cares that our relationship not suffer and you couldn’t even tell everyone to keep their fucking mouth shut.” He turned and glared at Toni. “And you owe her a god damned apology!”

“Sorry,” Toni muttered with a shrug, not looking like she meant it at all. Betty stood quietly, not really sure what to do or say. She felt bad that she had caused such a ruckus.

“Really?” Jughead laughed.

“Come on Jug, she apologized,” FP sighed. “Let’s not make this worse.” Betty didn’t think Jughead could get angrier. She understood now why they had a strained relationship. FP may have wanted to mend things with his son and he may have apologized, but he was still, in his own way, taking the side of his Serpents over his own children. 

“Yeah, because me wanting you and the idiots in here to act decent is making things worse. Right. Happy Birthday dad,” he said angrily and took Betty’s hand and walked through the bar and a rather mean looking Serpent stood in their way. 

“I don’t appreciate being called an idiot,” he spat. Jughead didn’t even pause as he swung his arm and his fist connected with the man’s jaw, sending him to the floor.

“Get the fuck out of my way,” he growled and pulled Betty out of the bar. She was worried they would follow them out but nobody came through the door after them. “Don’t worry, they’re only tough in there and my dad was probably smart enough to keep them in there.”

“Will JB be alright? Maybe we should take her home?” Betty suggested.

“She’ll be okay. She keeps a room when she’s here above the bar with my dad and nobody is allowed up there. Let’s go the hell home,” he sighed as he whistled for a cab that was standing a little down the street. 

In the cab, Jughead sat, tense and angry, his leg bouncing and his eyes pinned to the passing buildings. Betty wasn’t sure what she should say or do. It was very obvious that his relationship with his father may have taken a step back but she understood why Jughead was so angry. Despite him being the leader’s son, nobody respected that and everyone still had a chip on their shoulder about him leaving. It was all about the gang for the Serpents and it was clear that most of them were always going to think he was a deserter and no longer part of their family and his father hadn’t made anybody think any differently.

“Jug?” she whispered, taking his hand. “I’m sorry I made you come.” Jughead sighed and pulled her up against him.

“You didn’t make me come, if I hadn’t wanted to, I wouldn’t have. I just stupidly thought they would be decent but nothing has changed in 5 years.” He nudged her face up and kissed her softly. “I’m so sorry about Toni and Tallboy. I shouldn’t have…”

“Jug, it’s okay,” she said softly. “You did warn me that they were a bit unsavory,” she shrugged. She took the hand he had used on Tallboy and the other Serpent and kissed the reddened knuckles. “Is this okay?” she said against his skin.

“It’s alright. I’m sorry you had to see that,” Jughead muttered.

“What? My boyfriend defending my honor and looking sexy doing it?” she teased. She felt Jughead relax and a slow smile spread across his face. 

“Are you telling me that Betty Cooper secretly likes a bad boy?” he chuckled.

“I think I might,” she giggled and he kissed her again. She felt his body completely relax the more they kissed and the further away they got. No, Jughead definitely didn’t belong back there and she could only imagine what he would be like if he had never left. Hard, angry and lost in a world he didn’t want. She was so very happy that he had chosen to leave.

“Jug,” she whispered. “Tell me about the desk.” 

“I bought it for your birthday,” he said softly, brushing her hair off her face.

“What?” she gasped. “But my birthday isn’t for a few months yet and you bought it before you even knew when it was.”

“Well, I knew you’d have one eventually,” he winked. Betty touched his face and chewed her lip.

“Jug, you bought me a $3600 dollar birthday gift after knowing me for a few weeks? Before we were even dating? I can’t….i can’t take that, it’s too….it’s too much,” she said, her eyes filling with tears of unbelief at what he had done. Jughead looked sheepish and turned a little red.

“You really loved that desk and I could tell how much you wanted it and at the risk of sounding like a creep, I knew one day you would be mine. That I would have you because that’s how much I wanted you and I just…..i took a chance. Even if it hadn’t turned out like this, I got myself a rare and beautiful desk, so really, it’s a win win.” 

The whole evening, all the events that had transpired, this beautiful thing he had done just seemed to take the breath from her lungs and she started to cry. Jughead sighed and hugged her tight.

“God, don’t cry,” he whispered. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to overwhelm you.” She managed to pull herself together and pressed a kiss to the skin where her face was pressed into his neck.

“You’re the most beautiful man I have ever known,” she sniffed. “I don’t know how you’re real.”

“How about we go home and I show you how real I am,” he suggested gruffly and she smiled. 

“Okay,” she whispered, a shiver going through her at the insinuation. “Also, can we bring the desk home, even if it’s not my birthday?” she asked softly.

“As soon as I can arrange it,” he grinned into her hair. They arrived home a short time later and Jughead made good on his promise to show her he was real. Several times.

 

As if bad parenting was the special of the week, the following Monday proved to be Betty’s turn. After a wonderful weekend of snuggling and movie watching and going for walks in the park with Jughead, she was feeling on top of the world and ready to face the week with a bounce in her step. Jughead had seemed back to his normal self after all their fun together and she was glad for it. Friday had left a bitter taste in both their mouths.

It was near the end of the day and Ginny and Betty were just starting to get things in order to close up shop when the phone rang. Ginny answered and then glanced at Betty, who paused her wiping of the counter.

“It’s your mom,” Ginny said with a grimace. Betty sighed and put her cloth down. She had disconnected her apartment phone a few weeks prior and her mother didn’t have her cell phone number and it really was only a matter of time before she found her. She knew she worked at the store and had obviously gone in search of the number. Betty took the phone and sat down on the chair.

“Hi mom,” she said quietly, already bracing herself for whatever was to come.

“Well, at least you’re still alive,” Alice Cooper snapped on the other end.

“I called to leave a message to say as much last week,” Betty said with an eyeroll.

“Yes, when you know I’m not home and from a blocked number. How am I supposed to get a hold of you when there is an emergency?”

“Well, you could always call Veronica and have her tell me if it’s that important, or you can call the store like you’re doing now,” Betty suggested.

“This is ridiculous!” Alice snapped. “I shouldn’t have to scramble to get a hold of my child. I don’t understand why you are doing this.”

“Because, mom,” Betty said angrily. “Because I’m tired of always being yelled at and manipulated and made to feel like shit just because I’m not doing what you want me to do. I’m 24 years old and I don’t need you to run my life for me. I don’t need your input into anything I do and I certainly don’t need to hear you tell me how I’m ruining my life just because you don’t agree with me.”

“I don’t agree with you and I think you are wasting your life with your nose stuck in old books. What the hell kind of career is that? You are literally making nothing of your life with a useless career. You’re amounting to nothing, Elizabeth! At this rate, you’ll never be anything to anybody.” Betty blinked against the tears the filled her eyes and she realized that she was never going to have her mother’s support and it was time to let go.

“Goodbye mom,” she whispered softly and hung up the phone. She went into settings and blocked any number she knew associated with her mother. Ginny was watching her, a worried look on her face. “If she finds a way to call again, please hang up.” The woman nodded and reached over to give her a hug.

“Go on home Betty, I’ll finish up here,” she said softly and Betty could only nod and collect her things and headed home. 

Jughead had an evening shift and she contemplated calling him when she felt like she wanted to scream into the void and then just decided to wait until he got home. She needed his touch, his love, his everything. It was hard for her to believe that they both had such morons for parents. His father didn’t really care that much about his life and her parent thought her life was useless and she was nothing because she didn’t like her career choice. 

When she got home and dropped her bag on the counter, her eyes zeroed in on the space beside stone fireplace and she gasped. There stood the beautiful desk that Jughead had bought for her. Betty promptly burst into tears. God, she loved him. When he came through the door just before midnight, she was waiting for him.

“Hi,” he said with a smile. “What are you doing up?” he asked as he shrugged out of his jacket and boots. She didn’t answer, only walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in it and shuddered when his arms came tightly around her. “Hey,” Jughead said softly, pulling back a little and studying her face. “Are you okay?” She answered by kissing him, wanting to think of nothing and feel nothing but him. He returned the kiss eagerly, his tongue sliding against hers, catching her whimpers on his lips. 

“Take me to bed,” she whispered against his mouth, pressing her body tightly against his. His hands moved down under her backside and he lifted her, her legs going around his hips as he walked to the bedroom.

“You don’t want me to shower first?” he asked when he pulled back for breath and she pulled him close again. 

“I need you,” she said, her voice shaky and hoarse. Jughead felt his heart twist at her words. He’d heard them from her before but the way she said it now, like he was the only thing that would help her through whatever was happening. Women had wanted him but none had ever needed him with the desperation he heard in her plea. He was determined to give her everything she needed. 

They got to the bedroom and he set her down and his hands moved to the buttons of her shirt, holding her gaze as he slowly undid them, the backs of his fingers brushing against her skin. Her eyes were filled with need and his body was aroused to the point of painful. 

“I love you,” she suddenly whispered and he paused and studied her face. There was no hesitation, and she hadn’t said she was certain or that she was sure. It had been a simple and heartfelt _I love you._ He lifted his hands and framed her face, his eyes burning into hers.

“Betty,” he spoke softly. Her eyes filled with tears.

“I love you,” she whispered again. “So much.” Jughead kissed her, his own desperate love branding into her and then it was a hurried frenzy to take off clothes and they fell onto the sheets together. 

“I love you,” he spoke against her skin as his mouth moved across her chest and his tongue flicked over her nipple. She let out a sob and arched into him, needing his touch more than she ever had. His mouth moved down her body and she trembled with need and anticipation and parted her legs for him when he reached her core, his name tumbling from her mouth as his tongue stroked over her. He groaned at the silky wetness he found, his tongue swirling over her, around her clit and moving down to slip inside her. 

All the anxiety and pain she felt seemed to melt away as he made love to her with his mouth, his fingers joining in as he slipped them inside her, bringing her to a quick and shattering release. She sobbed as she clenched around them and he sucked at her, catching every drop of her release. He placed a light kiss over her as she came down and then he started again, slowly and thoroughly, his hands holding her hips still as she writhed beneath his touch. She fell apart again, his name echoing around the room as she cried out in ecstasy. When she had calmed under the soothing strokes of his tongue, Jughead kissed his way up her body and settled between her legs and rested on his elbows, his hands framing her face, his thumbs brushing her tears away. 

“You love me?” he asked softly. She smiled through her tears and nodded.

“So much, Jug. I didn’t know it was possible to love someone so much so quickly.” The grin that spread across his face made her heart pound. 

“You’re sure sure?” he teased.

“I’m certain, sure sure and 100% positive that I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone,” she whispered. Jughead lowered his forehead to hers and took a deep shaky breath. She could feel his fingers trembling on her face. 

“I love you too Betty, more than I can even explain. I have loved you since before we even dated. I think I even loved you when I saw your eyes shine about that old desk. You are my everything.” 

Betty let his words sink into her heart and clean out all the garbage that was left from her mother and she felt lighter than she had in years, if ever. This wonderful man loved her and what more could she possibly want? She pushed against him and he rolled, resting on his back, watching her as she knelt beside him, her eyes roaming hungrily over him. When they settled on his thick arousal, he swallowed, his abdomen contracting as she ran her hand over it and down to wrap around him. When she lowered her head and dragged her tongue along his length, the ragged groan that fell from his lips made the heat pool between her legs. She watched a drop form on the top and he lifted his head to watch as she licked at it. 

“Fuck,” he whispered, his head dropping back. Betty smiled and slowly took him in her mouth. His hand moved to caress her hair, before sliding into it and clenching his fist around a handful as his hips moved automatically against her mouth. Betty worked him, teasing, dragging her tongue, sucking on him as she ran her hands up his thighs, along his side and down his front, loving the feel on his warm skin over hard muscle. She raked her nails across his stomach and he growled at the feeling. 

Jughead felt like he couldn’t breathe as Betty moved her mouth over him. He looked down and clenched his jaw as he worked to not spill in her mouth when he saw her wet tongue lick over him. He wasn’t going to last long if she kept this up and he wondered for just a moment what was going on that had her loving him so desperately. He couldn’t take much more and he grabbed her under the arms, he hauled her up and she gasped in protest as her mouth released him. 

“I wasn’t finished,” she whimpered, and he adjusted her so she straddled him and kissed her. A heavy wet, all tongues kiss that had her moaning as she moved against his arousal. 

“I want to come inside you,” he gasped against her mouth as her slick heat slid over his cock. She shifted and then let out a cry of pleasure as she slid down on him. He filled her completely and she would never tire of the feeling. Betty moved her hips slowly, dragging over him as she braced her hands on his pillow and lowered her mouth to kiss him and when Jughead’s hands moved down and grasped her backside, holding her still and thrusting up into her, she let out a long moan, grinding herself against him.

“Fuck, Jug, do that again,” she whimpered and he lifted his head and caught a nipple in his mouth, sucking it deep as he did what she asked. She shuddered and closed her eyes, feeling her body build and race toward release. “Touch me,” she begged, pulling his head off her chest and taking his mouth in a kiss. His hand moved down between them and he stroked her clit and she could feel the pleasure pooling, tightening under his fingers. She lifted her head and looked at him, their eyes burning into one another as she rose and fell on him, his fingers moving over her slick heat and she could feel herself start to unravel. “Come with me,” she begged, feeling her body start to tighten.

“Fuck,” he groaned as she fell apart, her body clenching tightly on his, her head dropping onto his shoulder as she shook and she felt him stiffen and growl against her ear as he released warm and wet inside her. His hands gripped her hips as he held him to her, arching up into her as he spent himself. Betty collapsed on his chest, her breathing harsh and laboured and he wrapped his arms around her, his body still trembling and moving against her. When he finally stilled, she pressed kisses across the sheen of sweat on his chest.

“I love you,” she whispered once again and he held her so tightly, she could barely breathe.

“I’ll never get tired of hearing that,” he whispered back. He eased out of her and shifted to the side, rolling her with him and they lay on their sides, pressed together. “I love you too,” he smiled and she touched his face. 

“We’re sure sure?” she asked softly.

“I think we’ve been sure sure for a while,” he chuckled and she laughed with him. “But something went on today that solidified it for you. What happened?” he asked softly, brushing her hair off her face.

“My mom called,” she said, pressing closer, wanting his warmth and love. She told him about the call and he sighed angrily, his arms holding her a little tighter. When he loosened his hold, he wrapped his hand around her head and adjusted her so he could look into her eyes. 

“You are not nothing and you life is not nothing. You, Betty Cooper, are everything. _Everything!_ And don’t ever let anyone tell you differently. You have no idea how special and how wonderful you are. And your job? It’s amazing. You take these beautiful old things that people cast aside and you restore them, you bring them back to life and it’s wonderful. Everything about you is amazing. Everything. And I’m so thankful that I found you.” Betty was in tears by the time he was done and he kissed them off her cheeks. 

“You’re my everything too, Juggie, and i’m so glad you left the Serpents because you are so amazing and nothing like any of them. You are so much more than that and your life is so much bigger than that and I’m so thankful you found me too.”

His whispered _I love you’s_ washed over her and soon his kisses were on her mouth and she wrapped herself around him and lost herself all over again. Her mother was wrong. 

She was somebody’s everything.


	10. Moments

Betty woke with the sunrise the next morning and usually she would get up and get ready to go to work, but today she just wanted to be with Jughead. She knew there wasn’t anything pressing at work and she sent Ginny a text that she was taking a personal day and snuggled closer to Jughead, not wanting to leave his heat. She loved having him in her bed now and she figured that soon they should probably decide what to do with his room. A beautiful home office maybe? Just leave it as a guest room? Either way, she wasn’t letting him go back to his own bed.

Jughead rolled over onto his back, the sheet coming down around his waist and she spent a good amount of time looking at his body, which was beautiful. He wasn’t a body builder by any means but the hard lean subtle muscle made her mouth water and she placed her hand on his stomach, slowly moving it over the smooth skin. 

“Hey,” he said suddenly, his voice soft and gruff from sleep. She jumped, having not expected it and turned to look at him, her breath catching at the dark blue of his eyes fresh from sleep. “You about to head to work?” he asked.

“No, I’m taking a personal day,” she said softly, her hand moving down a little further and his moved to rest on top of it, stilling her movements.

“How come?” 

“I just didn’t want to leave you today,” she said quietly. Jughead rolled slowly until she was on her back and he balanced on his elbow. 

“Do you want me to cancel my shift?” he asked. “I work from 5 till 9 today.” She bit her lip and nodded and he smiled. “You okay?” he asked, his hand moving slowly down her body. 

“Yes,” she breathed, her eyes fluttering closed at the gentle caress. “I know it was just the weekend but yesterday just drained me and I feel like last night was a huge moment for us and I just want to be near you today,” she explained, not really sure how else to put her feelings into words. He loved her completely and she just wanted to absorb it for a while.

“You’re skipping work to stay in bed with me?” he asked, his mouth moving to brush against her jaw. “Shame on you,” he teased as his hand ran along her bare thigh. She smiled and wrapped her arms around him and pulled him on top of her. 

“Are you complaining?” she asked.

“Oh yes,” Jughead sighed. “I would much rather spend the day alone in the apartment and then go to work and deal with drunk idiots and come home when you’re about to go to bed and have a few moments with you before we do it all again tomorrow,” he explained with an exaggerated pout.

“Don’t you usually sleep till noon and then write?” Betty asked with a grin. “I’m sure that works much better when I’m not around.”

“Baby, I would give up all my sleep for you,” he insisted.

“Aww, that’s sweet,” she breathed when his tongue flicked lightly at her pulse point. “Ridiculous, but sweet.” She let him pepper her skin with kisses for a few moments before she pulled back and looked at him. “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“Yesterday you said that you’ve loved me since you saw me talk about the desk, which I’m assuming is when you came to the store to take me to lunch. Were you serious?” she asked softly. Jughead smiled and rested his head on his bent arm, his hand settling on her waist. 

“I’ve been feeling things for you since the moment you opened the door when I came to look at the apartment. The fact that I was going to have such a beautiful woman for a roommate completely threw me for a loop and I’ll confess, I was excited as fuck,” he said with a chuckle. “When I moved in and found your note and all the lovely things you left for me, it just made me feel good, having someone who was so sweet and caring to live with. Then we started getting to know each and you were so wonderful and fun and kind, I was gone before I knew what was happening. When I came to the store that day and you starting talking about that desk and those beautiful books, the way your eyes lit up, I don’t know, something inside me just twisted and my heart was hammering and it basically hasn’t stopped,” Jughead explained.

“So, all the flirting and the touching and hand holding and taking care of me….”

“I couldn’t help myself, Betty, I wanted to be near you.”

“And when I made you go on that date?” she asked, running her hand up his arm. Jughead sighed and pulled her closer.

“I was angry,” he admitted. “I wanted you and I was pretty certain you wanted me and I couldn’t figure out why on earth you’d be okay with me going on a date, especially with how upset you looked when Archie said it was a double date. I was confused and went mostly because I was pissed off and of course had the worst time ever,” he laughed.

“I’m sorry,” she sighed, moving against him.

“But then after the date,” Jughead said softly, shifting so he could press a kiss to her neck and down across her chest. “After when you crawled into my bed and I made you fall apart without even touching you….” His hands pulled up her t-shirt and his mouth nuzzled the side of her breast and she let out a small gasp. 

“But you _were_ touching me,” she whimpered. “Your mouth was….” She didn’t have to finish her sentence as he brought the memory to life, his tongue slowly circling her nipple. “Right there,” she moaned. “Your mouth was right there.” He took it in his mouth and gave a gentle suck before releasing it, followed by her disappointed moan. “More,” she breathed, despite their intense love making the night before, she just couldn’t get enough of his mouth, his hands, his everything.

“So beautiful,” he murmured against her skin as his mouth moved slowly over her breasts. His hand slipped down and under the waist band of her panties, teasing and circling the skin just above where she wanted him.

“Please,” she begged as his tongue licked over her nipple, swirling around it before he tugged it in his mouth. Her hips moved impatiently and finally his fingers slid into her slick folds and his groan at finding her wet and slippery vibrated around her peak. He lifted his head and smiled down at her as he moved his fingers lower and dipped them inside her. Betty lifted her hips and he slid deeper, his mouth coming down to graze against hers. He sipped at her lips, soft gentle kisses, his tongue flicking against them in a maddening tease that had her gripping his hair and pulling his head closer so she could kiss him properly. 

He pressed two fingers inside her, his thumb making gentle circle on her clit and she moaned into his mouth, her tongue sliding along his. He kissed her slowly, his hand moving gently, bringing her to a blazing orgasm only minutes later. He groaned when she tightened on his fingers, releasing her mouth and resting his forehead against hers as he tenderly worked her through it. Betty wilted into the sheets, gasping for breath. When she gathered her wits about her, she moved her hand down his front and he stopped her, taking her hand and giving her another soft kiss.

“I’m good hon, this was for you,” he whispered. “Go back to sleep.” She didn’t argue with him as her eyes were already falling closed as she pressed against him and once against slept.

When Betty got up later, she was alone in bed and it was almost 10:00am. Clearly she had needed the sleep. Climbing out of bed, she went into the bathroom to take care of things and then decided she just wanted to stay in her pajamas for the day, putting her hair up in a messy bun and walked barefoot to the front where she found Jughead leaning against the kitchen counter, wearing just a pair of pajama pants himself and scrolling through his phone. 

“There’s a half naked man in my kitchen,” Betty said with a smile. “And I think I like it.” Jughead looked at her and grinned.

“Yeah? Is he sexy?” he asked teasingly. 

“Mmmmm, you have no idea,” Betty sighed as she walked over to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and leaning against him, pressing her cheek against the warm skin of his chest. He wrapped an arm around her and kissed the top of her head.

“You doing alright?” he asked softly.

“After the delicious way you put me back to sleep?” she giggled. “I’m doing just fine.” He chuckled into her hair and then tilted her head up so he could look at her.

“Seriously though, you’re doing okay?” 

“I am,” Betty assured him and stretched up to give him a kiss. “I just want to spend the day lounging in pajamas with you. Is that okay?”

“That’s completely okay,” Jughead said with a smile. “You want some breakfast? I think I can master bacon and eggs.” 

“I’d love some, thank you. There any coffee?” Jughead moved to the coffee maker and poured her a cup and she smiled her thanks as he handed it to her and went over to the sliding doors and out onto the balcony. It was a beautiful day and she leaned against the railing, lifting her eyes to sun and absorbed the warmth. She was looking down on the street when Jughead came up behind her, resting his hands on the rail on either side of her and placing a kiss on her neck. Betty turned her head and was rewarded with a kiss on the corner of her mouth. 

“It’s so nice out, maybe we could go for a walk later? Have a late lunch at the café we like?” he suggested. 

“Well, that would mean we aren’t staying in our pajamas all day, but that does sound like a great idea. Let’s do that.”

“Well, we’ll go later tonight then, and that way we can stay in our pjs all day,” Jughead said, wrapping his arms around her front and pulling her back against him. “Late dinner instead of a late lunch?”

“Yeah,” she said softly, smiling back at him. He let go of her to go back to the bacon. “Jug?” He turned to look at her. “I love you.”

“I love you,” he replied with a smile and continued on into the kitchen. Betty took another sip of her coffee, a happy smile on her face. She couldn’t remember a time when she had felt more content.

They did end up spending the day lounging around in their pajamas and by the time evening came around, Betty was in no mood to go to the café. She sat in Jughead’s lap and whimpered as he held her and rubbed her lower back. 

“Sorry baby,” he murmured as he did his best to massage her cramped tight muscles as her monthly friend came knocking at the door.

“I forgot it was time,” she groaned, pressing back against his fingers to try and relieve the ache. “I just want to go to bed,” she sighed. “I’ll be fine in the morning. It’s just the first night.”

“Alright,” Jughead said softly. By the time she had visited the bathroom and was climbing into bed, he was already waiting for her and she fell asleep to the soothing massage of his hand on her lower back.

 

 

That Friday, Betty came home from work to find Veronica sitting on her couch, paging through a magazine.

“Hey,” she said in surprise, dropping her things on the counter. “What are you doing here?” 

“Well, Jughead let me in before he went to work. Reggie and I just got back into the country and I thought I’d come visit you before I head to Riverdale. We have some packing to do at home,” Veronica explained. Betty raised her eyebrows and went over to sit next to her.

“Well, you guys were gone a long time. That was quite the get-a-way you had. What did you decide and why are you packing?”

“God, can you make us cocktails before you start with the interrogation?” Veronica sighed. She sat back and smoothed a hand down her designer skirt and Betty smiled.

“Brandy good?” she asked.

“Ahhh, perfect.” Betty went to pour them each a glass and then settled on the couch next to her. “So,” Veronica started. “Jughead was looking amazing when he let me in. And ridiculously happy. Got anything you want to tell me? I would have asked him but he was on his way out the door and had a mouth full of sandwich.”

“Sorry, V,” Betty laughed. “You first. Tell me what’s going on.”

“Well, we went to Paris –“

“Of course you did,” Betty said with an eye roll. With Veronica it was go big or go home.

“Like you said, we stayed for a while, a few weeks to be exact.”

“And how did staying in Paris for a few weeks help you figure out what you wanted to do? That’s not even the real world of your relationship.”

“Well, it will be,” she said with a smile. Betty sat back in shock. 

“What?” she gasped.

“We’re moving to Paris,” Veronica said with a smile.

“I don’t understand. Okay, scratch that. I understand you and Paris but I don’t understand Reggie and Paris,” Betty said in confusion. “He wants to move to Paris?”

“Well, funny enough, while we were there, we got to know this lovely old couple who were retiring and turned out, they owned a bike shop and were putting it up for sale. Reggie didn’t even blink or ask if I was okay with it, he simply told them he was going to buy it and they agreed. I was so shocked that he would do something so crazy, I kinda fell in love with him a little more,” Veronica admitted with a laugh. “And I would be thrilled to open some shops for my clothing there. That’s why we were there so long. Finalizing it all.” Betty just stared at her for a moment and then to her embarrassment, tears filled her eyes.

“Oh don’t mind me,” she sniffed when Veronica looked at her in surprise. “That time of the month,” she explained with an eye roll. “And my best friend is moving to freaking Paris. What the hell Veronica?”

“Oh God, really Betty? You left me for New York,” her friend argued.

“Seriously? That’s like 3 hours from Riverdale. How the hell is that the same?”

“I don’t know, I guess we figure it’s a fresh start. I mean, I love that idiot and I know we have our issues but I really think this will be good for us.”

“Well, now I have a reason to come to Paris,” Betty said with a laugh. Suddenly her mind went back to when Jughead had joked about them having a honeymoon in Paris and she felt herself grow warm. Well, she didn’t know about a honeymoon, but she would certainly want him to come along if she went to visit Veronica.

“Okay missy,” Veronica asked as if she could read her mind. “You and Jughead. Spill! And don’t tell me that nothing is going on or that you’re just roommates,” she finished.

“Well,” Betty began and wanted to curse when she felt herself blush. “We are dating now, for real. We weren’t before when you all thought we were.”

“Sure Jan,” Veronica said, rolling her eyes. 

“Oh my god,” Betty said in exasperation. “We weren’t!”

“Betty, that man has been head over heels for you probably since he moved in. I could see it the second I met him. If you didn’t, then you’re seriously blind.”

“We were getting to know each other,” Betty sighed. “Oh who cares now anyway. We’re together and it’s amazing. He’s amazing.” Veronica grinned and sipped her brandy. 

“How’s the sex?” she asked.

“Okay, why is that the first thing you always ask me when I start dating someone?” Betty asked. 

“Because that’s all anybody cares about,” her friend grinned.

“You don’t want to know how sweet and wonderful and kind and amazing he is?” Betty asked.

“I already know all that because you’ve said it and he’s proved it when he took care of you after the club. Now I want to dirty details,” Veronica said with a giggle. “How is that looker in bed.”

“Amazing,” Betty said with a flush. “Like, really amazing.”

“Wow, that’s new,” V commented. “When I’ve asked with other boyfriends, all you ever said was _good_. Amazing is a fantastic step up. He looks like he’d be good. Anybody that hot has to be good in bed, right?” It was Betty’s turn to giggle as she nodded.

“And would you believe he hasn’t had many relationships and he was dumped in all of them. They always dumped him!” she exclaimed.

“God, why? What’s wrong with him?” Veronica asked with a grimace.

“Nothing,” Betty sighed. “He’s so ridiculously perfect and they all thought he was boring because he likes to read and write and stay home to watch old movies. Of course, I find that all wonderful because it’s what I love as well but even if I didn’t, the sex would be enough to keep me around,” she said with a laugh. “It’s that freaking amazing.”

“Maybe he’s just that good with you,” Veronica said with a curious expression. “I mean, when it’s the right person, it’s always so much more amazing and maybe he wasn’t that great with the other women. Me and Reggie have been on and off so often and for the time when we were apart for an entire year, I did sleep with other men and it was never like it is with him because he’s the only one I’ve ever been in love with. It’s always amazing with Reggie.”

“I guess you’re right; he kinda said the same thing the other day. But holy hell, you should see his body, I mean, you’d think these women would try to make it work,” Betty laughed.

“How the hell does he have such a nice body with the way that guy eats? Like, he’s always eating,” Veronica wanted to know.

“Well, apparently he’s got a good metabolism and he goes to the building gym 3 times a week. He’s pretty lean so it’s not hard for him to build muscle I’m assuming.”

“Well, congratulations, you’ve got yourself a hottie,” Veronica smiled. She studied Betty for a moment while she sipped her drink and gave her a knowing look. “You love him,” she stated.

“Yeah,” Betty said softly, swirling her brandy in her glass. “I really do and I’ve never been this happy. He loves me too.”

“Yeah, that’s not a hard one to figure out,” her friend chuckled. “We all knew it before you idiots did.”

“Well, we were….” Betty paused and tried to come up with something good. 

“Idiots?”

“Yeah, we were idiots,” she laughed.

 

When Jughead came home and climbed into bed with her at midnight, she rolled over and snuggled into him.

“How was your day?” he asked softly, giving her a soft kiss. “You have a good visit with Veronica?”

“Yeah, I guess. Her and Reggie are moving to Paris,” she sighed.

“Wow, that’s quite the move,” Jughead commented. “I guess that means they’re back together?”

“For now,” Betty laughed. “I have a feeling they’re going to have a very back and forth life. How was your shift?”

“Was okay. Archie stopped by. It seems he’s getting tired of sleeping around and is thinking of calling his ex.” Betty lifted her head to look at him in surprise. 

“Seriously?”

“Yeah, I guess he’s had his fill and realized that no matter how much fun that may be, it didn’t fulfill him in any way,” Jughead explained. “I just think all his screwing around was him trying to fuck his feelings away and well, that never works.”

“Did you ever want to do that after you broke up with somebody?”

“Nah. My feelings for past girlfriends were never that deep to begin with and when we’d break up, I wasn’t that bothered.”

“What if we’d break up?” she asked softly. Jughead touched her face, his fingers lingering on her lips. 

“I wouldn’t attempt to fuck my feelings away but I’d probably go somewhere where I wouldn’t have to talk to anyone and brood and cry for weeks on end.” Betty was surprised when she saw that he was completely serious. 

“Well, I promise I’m not going to leave you,” she whispered. “All the things that your past girlfriends didn’t like about you, I happen to love. For me, you’re perfect.”

“ _You’re_ perfect,” he whispered back. He kissed her then; a long slow kiss that had her melting against him. They fell asleep with their arms around each other, their lips only a breath apart.

 

 

A week later, on a perfectly blissful and uneventful Saturday afternoon while Betty and Jughead were snuggling on the couch, there was a knock at the door. They looked at each other and neither knew who it could be. Betty went to the door and foolishly didn’t check the peep hole and opened the door and promptly froze.

“Mom,” she gasped, looking at the angry women in her perfectly pressed skirt and blouse. Jughead immediately got off the couch and walked over to Betty, standing close enough behind her that she felt his warmth and support. Alice Cooper raised an eyebrow and glared at him. 

“Can I come in?” she snapped. Betty rolled her eyes and stepped back, allowing the woman inside. She did however, not allow her past the kitchen, making sure she and Jughead blocked the passage past the island into the apartment.

“What brings you here?” Betty asked calmly, trying hard to not freak out. She started to curl her fingers inward and felt Jughead immediately take her hand and lace his fingers through hers. She gave his hand a squeeze of thanks.

“I want to know why the hell I can’t get a hold of you,” her mother said angrily. 

“Because I blocked all your numbers and now I’m going to have to move, apparently,” Betty said with a sigh. 

“Do you think this is funny?” Alice asked. “I am your mother!”

“Funny, you don’t really act like one,” Betty countered. Alice Cooper said nothing and turned to look at Jughead.

“Who are you?” she snapped.

“He’s my boyfriend,” Betty answered for him.

“You’re shacking up with a man?” Alice said disapprovingly.

“No, I’m living with someone I love very much,” Betty corrected.

“You just let some man move in the minute you think you’re in love?” Alice asked with an eyeroll.

“Well, he was my roommate first and then I seduced him,” Betty said with a smile. Alice gasped and Betty heard Jughead snicker and he stepped back from her, realizing she could take her mother all on her own and he couldn’t have been more proud. He went to the fridge to grab a beer and opened it, leaning against the counter, crossing his legs at the ankle.

“What do you mean he was your roommate, since when do you….”

“Just stop,” Betty sighed. “It’s none of your business and I’m not going to give you the details. He’s my boyfriend and I love him, that’s all you need to know.” Jughead smiled and took another sip of his beer. Alice glared at him and he winked in response and that completely flustered her and she quickly turned back to Betty, her eyes rolling over her in obvious disapproval. 

“Have you gained weight?” she asked with a scowl.

“Why, yes, I have,” Betty smiled. “Jughead wanted my ass to fill his hands more, so I obliged him.” Jughead choked on his beer and Alice was back to glaring at him like he was the devil incarnate. “Isn’t that right, sweetie?” 

“It sure is,” he managed with a grin.

“You are acting like a child,” Alice fumed. “You’ve been acting like a child for a while now and I’m going to assume this…this person has been in your life the entire time?”

“This person’s name is Jughead,” Betty snapped. “And yes, his love and support has given me the courage I needed to sever ties with you.”

“So, you’re just going to be childish and cut me out of your life?”

“No mother, that’s not what children do. I’m a woman, almost 25 and it is what adults do when someone in their life is toxic and makes them feel like shit about themselves. I just can’t do it anymore. I don’t need your help, I don’t need your advice. I simply don’t need you. I’m doing just fine on my own and you need to just step back and let me live my life. I don’t want you in it,” Betty said in a rush, almost unable to believe she had the courage to say what she said. “I’d really like you to leave,” she added quietly.

“What?” her mother gasped. “I just got here!”

“Well, I guess next time you’ll call first.”

“I can’t call you, remember?” Alice yelled.

“Oh right, I forgot,” Betty smiled as she went to open the door. She said nothing as she stood and waited. Alice Cooper looked like she wanted to kill someone. She walked over to the door and gave Betty a hard stare.

“When you decide to act like an adult, give your mother a call,” she snapped and walked out, the door slamming shut behind her. Betty stood glaring at it and couldn’t believe how good it felt. She felt Jughead at her back, his arms coming around her waist and pulling her back against him.

“You okay?” he asked softly. Betty smiled and turned, wrapping her arms around his neck. 

“I feel wonderful,” she said happily. His slow grin made the warmth pool in her stomach and she bit her lip when his hands moved and settled over her backside. He squeezed with both hands and lifted her against him.

“So,” he murmured against her ear. “You filled this out for me, huh?” She let out a breathy laugh as he started to walk toward the couch. 

“Yes,” she sighed as his hands slipped under the bottom of her shorts. His tongue slid against her ear and she shivered, pressing against him, the familiar ache starting to creep into her body. He settled down, adjusting her so she straddled his lap.

“I do like that ass,” he growled when she rolled against him. Betty took his face in her hands and kissed him, her tongue sliding in his mouth. He was just starting to pull her top off when there was another knock at the door. 

“Dammit,” Betty sighed in frustration. “What the hell does she want now?” 

“Let me get this,” Jughead said firmly, depositing her on the couch next to him. He walked over and flung the door open, ready to give Alice Cooper a piece of his mind and found Archie standing there instead. “What the hell do you want?” he asked. Archie frowned at him.

“Wow, nice welcome,” he muttered as he shoved his way into the apartment.

“Sorry, you got us at a bad time,” Jughead growled. Archie looked at Betty and noticed her flushed state and grinned.

“Ahhhh, I see you two have stopped playing the bullshit _roommates_ card and gotten to business,” he smirked. Betty rolled her eyes and flopped back against the arm rest of the couch.

“How are you, Archie?” she asked politely.

“Miserable,” he sighed, falling into a chair and running a hand through his shock of red hair, making it stand on end. She bit back a smile and rested her feet in Jughead’s lap when he sat down on the couch. “Val won’t answer my calls.”

“Val?” Betty asked, confused.

“Valerie, his ex,” Jughead filled in for her. He turned back to Archie. “Well, does she know what you’ve been up to the last half year? Archie, you’ve been screwing every girl in sight.”

“Okay, it’s not that bad, like one a week.”

“Eww,” Betty said, wrinkling her nose. “How could you do that if you love this woman?”

“How else do you forget about someone?”

“Is he serious?” Betty asked Jughead who rolled his eyes.

“Archie, have you tried apologizing for being a jackass. That is the reason she left, right?” 

“No, it wasn’t just me. We were fighting a lot and we both decided to split and see what else was out there and for me, I’ve realized, there’s nothing and nobody like her out there.”

“It took you screwing a bunch of women to realize that?” Jughead asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Stop judging me,” Archie sighed, leaning his head back on the chair.

“Too late,” Jughead laughed.

“Love sucks,” the red head muttered.

“Well, what do you think Val would say if she knew what you’ve been doing since she moved out?”

“Nothing because according to her roommate Josie, she’s been making her way around the block as well.”

“Wow, you two are made for each other,” Betty said with a laugh.

“Okay, not everybody likes to sit at home being boring together. Some of us are more sexual and wild,” Archie said in frustration.

“Why does everyone call us boring?” Betty asked Jughead, a frown on her face.

“Because they’re jealous?” he offered with a grin. She giggled and nudged the front of his jeans with her foot and he narrowed his eyes at her, the heat immediately settling in his gaze. He grabbed her foot and pulled a little and she slid toward him. “Arch?” Jughead said, his gaze holding Betty’s.

“What?”

“Go away.” 

“You’re like, zero help,” the red head complained as he got up and walked to the door with a scowl. “And just so you know, it’s not cool to pick sex in the afternoon over helping a friend.” Jughead and Betty both looked at him in disbelief. Archie realized how ridiculous that sounded, as he had picked sex over them countless times the last few months. “Whatever,” he muttered as he let himself out. 

“Boring my ass,” Jughead growled, pulling her back into his lap to continue what he started earlier. Their kiss was hot, wet, consuming and soon his shirt joined hers on the floor and his mouth was sucking on her nipple as she cried out and arched against him. Jughead suddenly stood, pulling Betty up with him. Their mouths seemed fused together as they stumbled through the apartment toward the bedroom, the rest of their clothes littering the floor as they went. They got as far as the door to the bedroom, or rather, the wall next to it. Her back was pressed against it and his hand was between her leg finding her wet and ready and she moaned and moved with him, trying to get closer. 

“Stop messing around Jug,” she whimpered. “Just fuck me.” 

“God, I love it when you talk dirty,” he gasped against her neck as he moved his hand and brushed his arousal over her slick folds. “And one day, we may actually make it to the bed when we start elsewhere.”

“Beds are overrated,” she insisted as she wrapped her legs around his hips, pulling him closer. “Please, Jug,” she begged, getting tired of his teasing. He thrust up into her with a groan and she let her head fall back, squeezing her walls around him. 

“You’re so tight,” he muttered, holding her hips steady and thrusting in and out at a delicious pace. “Fuck,” he groaned when she squeezed her walls again. He moved faster and she gripped his hair, grinding against him.

“Harder,” she moaned, desperate for the blissful orgasm that was already starting to build. Jughead took her mouth in a dirty wet kiss as he slammed into her, giving her what she wanted.

“Touch yourself,” he ordered, feeling his release already licking through his abdomen. Betty reached down and circled her clit, tugging on his lip with her teeth as the pleasure built. It was fast, hot, dirty and oh so sexy. “Tell me you’re close,” he begged, his hands gripping her hips tightly as he thrust over and over. 

“I’m close, I’m close,” she cried out, feeling it start to unravel. 

“Oh fuck,” he growled, his release rushing through him before he could even begin to hold it back and she cried out in ecstasy as she clenched hard on him, her orgasm coming on the heels of his. He moved through it and their groans and gasps caught together in a searing, tongue filled kiss. “Holy shit,” he gasped as they slowly came down, their bodies trembling against each other.

“You’re so fucking good at that,” she moaned, moving against him despite the orgasm that had just ripped through her.

“Baby, hold still,” he begged, his fingers digging in as he attempted to keep her hips from moving.

“I want more,” she whimpered, tightening her legs around him. Jughead’s hand moved up and tangled in her hair as he slammed his mouth back on hers. He pulled them away from the wall and this time managed to get into the bedroom and over to the bed. They fell on it, still locked together as he started to move again, his body still aroused. It proved to be a very wild and sexual afternoon that was anything but boring.

 

A few days later, at the store, the owner made one of his rare appearances. He had long left Betty and Ginny in charge, fully trusting them to do what’s best for the store and he was never disappointed.

“Mr. Wright,” Betty said with a small when he walked in. “It’s so good to see you!” 

“Hello ladies,” the older gentleman replied. “How are things these days? You finding any good deals for me?” 

“Oh, Betty found some amazing books that she thought you might like,” Ginny said in excitement. While Betty made more money with her restoration work and basically managed the store, essentially making her Ginny’s boss of sorts, the woman was always excited when Betty found something new and interesting. Mr. Wright walked over to the computer where Betty was seated and leaned over to see what she had found. It was a couple of rare books that someone was wanting to unload for cheaper than what they were actually worth.

“Okay, we have Bram Stoker’s Dracula; a signed, first edition from 1897 and it’s worth $75,000 and it’s on sale for $60,000 and also Mark Twain’s, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, a first edition from 1876 that’s worth about $92,000 and it’s on sale for $80,000. That one isn’t signed, but to find a signed one is almost impossible. A rare antique book store in Europe is selling them. They just went up on the site, but I don’t think they will last long.”

“Wow, that’s an excellent find Betty and I think will make a wonderful addition to the store. Is there a phone number? I think that would be a safer bet at getting the books than waiting for an email.” 

“Yes, there is a number right here,” Betty said, highlighting it for him.

“Alright, make the call,” Mr. Wright said with a smile. Betty picked up the phone and 20 minutes later, the store was the proud owner of two very rare and amazing books.

“Alright,” Betty said when she ended the call. “They will email the shipping details within a couple of days.” Mr. Wright shook his head with a frown.

“No, I don’t trust shipping such an amazing find. I have the special, basically destruction proof briefcase just for this,” Mr. Wright explained. “Betty, you’ll go to pick them up.”

“Wha…what?” Betty gasped and Ginny grabbed her chest in excitement. “Are you serious? Isn’t this something you should be doing?” she asked.

“No, I don’t have the time for that and I trust you completely. You’ve brought so much business and amazing finds to this story, Betty, think of this as a bonus for all your hard work.” He turned to Ginny who was smiling broadly for her friend. “That will leave you in charge of the store Ginny and I know you’ll do a fantastic job.”

“I sure will,” Ginny exclaimed happily.

“I don’t know what to say, Mr. Wright,” Betty said, literally tearing up.

“Just enjoy the trip,” he smiled. “It’s an amazing city, so take a few days and enjoy it. Don’t worry about the cost, that’s all on me. Of course if you want to take someone with you, you’re welcome to do that. I’ll only be paying for one room though and they’ll have to supply their own airfare.” Betty nodded in excitement and would have hugged the man, but she had learned in her first days on the job that he didn’t like to be touched and she just grinned at him. They spent some time making the arrangements and when the man left the store, Ginny grabbed Betty in a bear hug.

“Oh my god, I’m so excited for you!!” she exclaimed. “You have to take Jughead!”

“Do you think he’d want to?” Betty asked, chewing her lip.

“Go to Europe for 4 days with the woman he loves? If he doesn’t, he’s an idiot,” Ginny laughed. Betty sat down in the chair, still a little baffled that she was going across the ocean to pick up two rare books. She felt like calling her mother and simply saying “ _screw you, my life is amazing,”_ but instead she grabbed her phone and text Jughead.

_Betty: How long is your shift tonight?_

She smiled because the bubble for his reply appeared almost instantly.

Jughead: Shift ends at 8:00.

_Betty: Can you meet me at our café for a bite to eat?_

Jughead: sure thing babe!

_Betty: OK! See you later. Love you._

Jughead: I love you too :)

Betty sat back and smiled. A few days in a city across the world with Jughead will be the most amazing thing she had ever done in her life and she couldn’t wait.

 

A few hours later, Betty waited at an outdoor table at their favorite café and her smile almost broke her face when he came strolling up the sidewalk. His grin when he saw her made her stomach flutter, as always. She wondered if she would ever get used to how handsome he was and how his smiles were just for her.

“Hi hon,” he said softly when he reached the table, leaning down to give her a soft kiss.

“Hi,” she said, her voice showing her excitement. He sat down and looked at her curiously. 

“Well, as much as I love your enthusiasm at seeing me, I’m thinking there’s a little more to this excitement than just me,” he chuckled, taking a sip of the ice water waiting for him.

“Well, I was going to wait until after we ate, but I’m just too excited and I need to tell you before I burst,” Betty said, fairly bursting to get it said. Jughead grinned and leaned back in his seat.

“Okay, I’m all ears baby.” 

“Okay, you just work at the bar because you said it gets you out of the house and gives you something to do, right? Like you make enough money with your writing where you don’t need the bar job, you just like having something to do?”

“Yes…”

“So, if I were to ask if next week you could cancel all your shifts because I wanted you to go somewhere with me, what would you say?”

“I would say I can absolutely do that,” Jughead smiled.

“On short notice? As in, we’d be leaving 4 days from now?”

“That wouldn’t be a problem. You want to tell me what you’re planning?” he asked. Betty got up and moved around the small table and settled herself across his lap and his arms came around her immediately, holding her close.

“Well, what if I told you that I’d love for you to come with me to Europe to pick up two rare books and spent a few days in an amazing city and your accommodations and food was all paid for so all you’d have to do is purchase your flight and whatever else you want to spend on yourself once we’re there,” Betty asked excitedly. Jughead looked at her in surprise and she bit her lip, waiting for an answer.

“Well, I guess I’d have to say,” he began thoughtfully. “What time is the flight, where are we going and most important; what kind of fun will we be having?” Betty squealed in excitement and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tight. She gave him a warm kiss before she leaned close to his ear.

“What kind of fun will we be having?" she repeated the question with a smile. "Jughead and Betty get naughty in Vienna.”


	11. Adventure in Vienna

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here it is, the big trip to Vienna. I have never been there and relied heavily on tourist info pages and notes of a friend who has visited....so thank you friend for doing that :) (she wishes to remain anonymous) So hopefully this doesn't disappoint and hopefully I didn't make a muck of Vienna lol 
> 
> Also, they have a lot of sex....just saying lol 
> 
> Enjoy!!!

Four days later, after a very long eight and a half hour non-stop flight from New York, Betty and Jughead arrived in Vienna tired and grumpy. It was 9:00am but their brain was telling them it was 3:00am and that they should be in bed. Jughead thought the sun was entirely too bright in Vienna and told Betty so. Despite her exhaustion and jet lag, she let out a laugh.

“It does seem brighter here. What hotel are we staying at again?” she asked with a yawn, having left all the papers and details with Jughead, who seemed to enjoy that sort of thing. As soon as he’d heard where they were going, they had gone home and he’d booked his flight and got to researching and planning things to do. 

“The Hotel Sacher Wien, deluxe room,” he said, hoping he was saying it right. The way she was giggling, it either sounded wrong or she was really over tired. “It says here that there will be a car to pick us up,” he mentioned, looking over the paper. “I guess when you’re picking up 2 books with a combined total value of $167,000, you’re going to be driven around and put up in the swanky hotel.”

“I remember, and it's really beautiful, isn't it?” she asked as they went to collect their luggage. 

“Well, it’s 5 star.” They headed out to find their ride and he had to shake his head and chuckle. She was so busy tying up loose ends at work, she had barely read the details and told him to see what there was to do in Vienna. 

“Ohhh, yes that's right,” she said in excitement. 

“Well, your boss really appreciates your work I’m guessing,” Jughead said with a smile. Outside the airport, Betty stood and looked around in excitement. It all seemed so different than back home. Brighter, somehow. Jughead spotted the car with the driver holding a sign that read “ _Betty Cooper”_ and headed in that direction. He had to pause and wait for Betty to stop looking around and notice as well and she flushed and ran up to him as they got to the car. 

“Welcome to Vienna,” the man said, his accent making Betty smile. They got their bags in the trunk and soon were on their way. 

Vienna was in a word, beautiful. The architecture, the streets, the people. It was all so new and exciting and Betty didn’t know where to look as the car took them to their hotel.

“It’s so pretty, Jug,” she said in awe as they drove. He was too busy watching her to notice the city. Her excitement and happiness making her beauty glow more than usual. She turned to him and he felt his heart race at how beautiful she was. “Thank you for coming with me,” she said softly, sliding close and hugging him.

“Of course,” he replied, hugging her back. “I’d go anywhere with you.” She snuggled against him and they watched the city pass as they neared their destination. When they finally arrived and climbed out of the car, Betty stared up at the hotel in awe.

“Oh my gosh,” she said in a whisper. “It’s so pretty.”

“It really is,” Jughead agreed, staring up at the beautiful building. The driver got out and pulled their bags from the trunk and handed Jughead a card.

“I’ll be your driver for the duration of your visit during the day starting at 6:00am until 10:00. If you need the car during at night, there will be another driver available, just call the number at the bottom of the card. Mine is at the top and try to give at least a half hour notice in case we aren’t in the area."

“Thank you,” Betty said with a smile. “I’m not sure we’ll need you until maybe later this afternoon or even the evening as we are quite tired and need some rest but we’ll call when we do.” The man nodded and they turned to head into the hotel. The staff descended on them immediately and took their bags with smiles and greetings and ushered them to the front desk. Before they even knew what was happening and after giving their info and whatever else was needed, they were in the elevator and headed up to their room.

“Well, the staff here is fantastic,” Betty sighed gratefully. “I’m ready to sleep standing up and I don’t think I’ve ever been checked in so fast in my life.”

When the porter opened the door to their room on the top floor, Betty stepped inside and gasped in delight. It was stunning. She had insisted to her boss not to book her a suite and that they would be fine in a regular room and he had agreed but still booked her a deluxe and it was breathtaking. Jughead tipped the man and soon enough they were alone and she just stood and tried to absorb everything.

The room was so pretty, she was afraid to mess anything up. It was done in creams and pale greens and blues and was simply stunning. A large rug covered a large portion on the floor and that was beautiful as well. As was the furnishings and the glorious bed. The fresh flowers were amazing and she was delighted to see most of the outer wall was windows and beautifully crafted doors that led to a balcony. Jughead opened the door and they walked out and she smiled at the view.

“It’s so beautiful,” she said in awe. 

“Yeah, it is. We really need to thank your boss after this,” he chuckled, wrapping his arms around her. “I’m so happy I get to be here with you,” he said softly as he bent his head to kiss her. Betty wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back. 

“I’m happy you’re here too,” she whispered when he pulled back and then she promptly yawned. Jughead chuckled and led her back inside. 

“Lets take a shower and get some sleep,” he suggested. She nodded and walked into the bathroom.

“Wow,” she exclaimed and then laughed when it literally seemed to echo around her with all the marble. “God, look at this tub,” she exclaimed.

“We’ll make use of that yet,” he said with a wink as he started to strip out of his clothes. The shower was massive and more than enough room for both of them and they washed each other between kisses and caresses and soon were falling into bed even though it wasn’t even noon yet. They were sleeping before the black out curtains were all the way closed.

 

When Betty woke, the curtains were open and there was a mouth doing delicious things along her rib cage. She grinned and pulled the blanket down to reveal a smiling Jughead and his messy black hair pressing kisses across her stomach.

“Whatcha doin down there,” she giggled when he bit lightly at her skin. Jughead came up over her, smiling down at her as he braced on his forearms, shifting so he lay nestled against her, resting between her legs.

“I woke up and saw this vision beside me and I couldn’t help it, I wanted to taste it,” he said with a wink. Betty smiled and took his face and pulled him down for a kiss. Nothing felt better than his soft mouth moving over hers and she let herself get lost in his slow lazy kiss for endless minutes. When his mouth moved down her neck she was pressing eagerly against him and it wasn't long before his mouth was muffling her cries as he slid inside her. They both found release quickly and as he moved to lay beside her, his breath shaky, she grinned and threw her leg over his stomach.

“Well, I’m certainly liking Vienna so far,” she teased, her hand smoothing over his chest.

“How is it always so fantastic?” he asked, placing his hand over hers. “Fast, slow, on the bed, shower, bath, against the wall; it’s always so freaking fantastic.”

“I’m just that good,” she drawled out and he chuckled and pulled her close. 

“Yes, you certainly are,” Jughead agreed. They lay there a while, calming their bodies and just relaxing with a few yawns thrown in the mix. This time change would take some getting used to. “When exactly do you pick these books up from the store?” he asked. 

“The very last day before we head home. We have 4 days to do whatever we want,” she said with a smile. “I’m guessing you made some plans?”

“Some,” he said as he sat up and reached for his shirt. “Right now I just want to eat. Do you want to head out and try to find something? Or do you want to order room service?”

“I’m so tired from all the travel and we have 3 full days yet and the entire last one before we leave on our evening flight and I’d rather just enjoy this beautiful room tonight and order room service,” Betty admitted. Jughead leaned down and kissed her and straighten to pull on his pajama pants and went in search of the room service menu. They ended up ordering breaded chicken and salads and a variety of pastries that Jughead just had to try. Like everything else, the food was amazing and delivered quickly and they sat out on the balcony to eat. When Jughead bit into a pastry, he groaned and his eyes rolled back.

“Oh my god, that’s good,” he said around the mouth full. “Forget France, we’re coming here for our honeymoon.” Betty smiled in amusement at him and he grinned back.

“You sure like to mention honeymoons,” she said with a laugh. Jughead lifted his pastry to her mouth and she took a bite, her tongue swiping up a crumb the landed on her lip. It was sinfully good.

“Okay, you’re right, we’ll have to come here,” she said with a blush. Jughead leaned across the table and gave her a soft kiss.

“I’m half joking,” he said with a twinkle in his eye. 

“Half?” she asked with a raised eyebrow, not really believing that he is now or was a few weeks ago thinking about honeymooning with her.

“I love you,” he said with a smile.

“I love you too,” Betty said, feeling a little confused by the twinkle in his eyes. “God, you’re not about to propose are you?” she asked and then grimaced. “Sorry, that was rude, but you’re not, are you?”

“No,” Jughead chuckled. “I’m not proposing.”

“Okay, good, cause I’d probably answer with ‘ _Are you insane?_ ’,” she sighed. Jughead laughed and pulled her from her chair and into his lap. 

“I love how ridiculously honest you are,” he said against her mouth. “Its refreshing.” Betty smiled and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “I’m not going to propose today,” he winked. “But you do something every day that makes me want to marry you.”

“Oh yeah?” she asked breathlessly. “What did I do today?”

“You smiled at me.”

“I do that every day,” she said softly.

“Like I said,” he replied with a wink. Betty kissed him and when she pulled away, he looked like he wanted to carry her back to bed. She just smiled and got off his lap and walked to the railing. Night was falling over the city and the view was amazing as Jughead wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against him. “It’s a little unreal that I’m here right now,” he said softly and her arms wrapped around his.

“Why?” she whispered, feeling like using a louder voice would disturb the beauty and peace of the falling night.

“Because a few months ago I was an ex gang member, moving from rented room to rented room, writing in the dark of the night and being dumped by women and now I’m standing with the most beautiful and amazing girl, who I love and who loves me, in the beautiful city of Vienna and I’m just a little awed, is all,” Jughead confessed softly. Betty turned in his arms and wrapped her around his neck. She pulled his head down and gave him a soft lingering kiss. 

“Take me to bed,” she whispered against his mouth. He smiled and lifted her, backing them into the room and over to the bed, falling down on it with her. 

“Didn’t get enough earlier?” he teased. 

“I’ll never get enough of you,” she confessed and his smile slowly faded, his eyes growing dark and needy and his mouth suddenly covered hers and then there was no more talking until her breathy _yes_ mingled with his groan.

 

They woke the next morning at 8:30 and found their brain still confused by the time change. 

“I’m still so tired,” Betty said with a yawn. “By the time we get used to the time difference, we’ll have to go home.” Jughead got up with a stretch and grabbed the blanket and pulled it off her. “Hey!” she yelled, trying to get it back. 

“Lets get in the shower and it will wake us up. We have things to do today.”

“What kind of things?” Betty asked as she hurried after him into the bathroom. 

“Something called Food, Coffee and Market Walking tour,” Jughead said as they stripped and stepped into the shower. Betty raised an eyebrow and burst out laughing.

“Of course the first thing you want to do is go on a food tour,” she teased.

“Well, what better way to get introduced to the city than to see what kind of food we’ll be eating and such,” Jughead grinned as he started to wash his hair. “Oh and later, there is this canal cruise we’ll go on.”

“Sounds fun,” Betty said as she washed herself.

“Yes, we have to be there for 9:30,” Jughead said as they finished up. He called the driver to take them to the meeting place while Betty pulled on a pair of shorts and a tank top and pulled her hair into a pony tail. She decided to forego the makeup as it appeared quite warm outside and she figured she might sweat it off. She stepped into a pair of comfortable flats and Jughead quickly pulled on a tshirt and some light pants and he smiled at her. “Why do you always look so pretty?” he asked.

“Well, why are you always so handsome?” she asked with a smile.

“I just am,” he said with a smile and a shrug. She bit her lip to hold in her laughter. He was so ridiculously cute and she was so happy he was hers.

“Are we going to grab breakfast?” she asked as he put some things in a backpack and they headed out the door.

“Apparently you sample a lot of food on this tour, so we don’t need to,” Jughead replied. They left the hotel and the driver took them to a place called Stephansplatz where they found the group they would be walking with. After introductions were made, they stared down a lovely street filled with wonderful shops and vendors of all kinds.

“This is the famous Graben boulevard,” their guide Patrick informed them as they walked. Jughead took Betty’s hand and she smiled up at him. “As you can see, we get a lot of visitors here and our first stop will be a lovely coffee shop that has been serving Viennese brews since 1685. We will be sampling some and of course have full cup of which ever you like.”

“Well, that sounds great to me,” Jughead said with a smile. While Betty enjoyed coffee, Jughead drank more than was probably healthy with his strange hours and she smiled at his delight. The guide chatted as they walked and it was amazing to hear the history of the place and Betty was busy pointing out things to Jughead that delighted her and busy taking pictures for her memory book.

The coffee shop was quaint and like everything else, lovely. There were many different kinds and while Betty chose a mild cup, Jughead had a great time sampling and ended up picking the strongest they had.

“You’re going to be bouncing off the walls,” Betty laughed as they walk resumed. 

“It will help with the jetlag,” he said with a smile. They stopped then at what the guide said was a famous pastry shop and chocolatier and the group collectively groaned when they bit into the delicate and delicious treats. 

“Oh my god,” Betty moaned. “I don’t ever want to leave this place. I could eat these all day, every day.”

“You know,” Jughead said softly as he leaned down to murmur in her ear. “If you keep moaning like that, we’re going to have to leave the tour and head back to our hotel.” Betty blushed and gave him a light shove and he laughed, drawing smiles from the people around them. Betty prayed they hadn’t heard him as she bit into her pastry to try and distract herself from the sudden warmth that came over her. Once they finished up their pasties and coffee they kept walking and listening to the guide as he gave them more rich history of buildings and café’s and who had been there and why they were there. It was fascinating.

“Now, we’re going to visit a café in one of our most beautiful hotels for the world famous dessert, Sacher-torte,” Patrick explained with a happy smile. “It was invented at this hotel which has been standing here since 1876 and is 5 star through and through and is one of the most renowned hotels in the world. We’ve had such guests as Queen Elizabeth and John F. Kennedy.” Jughead nudged Betty and she smiled as she realized they had managed to walk right back to their amazing hotel. 

“How did your boss manage to get a room here?” Jughead asked against her ear. 

“He told me he had stayed here once and we checked and there were a few rooms available. I didn’t pay much attention as he was the one looking through the site and I was trying to finalize the flight.”

“Dare I ask what it cost?” Jughead chuckled. 

“Just shy of $500 a night for our room I believe it was,” she whispered. 

“Holy shit,” Jughead gasped. “We better make sure we don’t break anything.” Betty laughed and they followed the group into the café where there were samples set out for them. 

“It was in 1832 when Prince von Metternich asked a 16-year-old apprentice named Franz Sacher to create a cake for his guests. The sweet masterpiece was to be made with chocolate, apricot jam, and whipped cream. This delightful dessert is what he created and is now world famous and we churn out 500 or more of these a day,” the man handing out the samples was saying.

“Mother fucker, I think I’m having a foodgasm,” Jughead groaned when he bit into his piece. Betty started to giggle and could barely take a bite of hers, which she found was as amazing as he claimed. It really was a delicious melting foodgasm. “We can get this with room service, right?” Jughead asked her, since they were staying at the hotel. “Cause I’m going to need an entire cake.” 

“I’m sure,” she laughed, wiping a bit of chocolate from the corner of his mouth.

After the delicious dessert, they continued on away from the hotel to two open-air markets that the guide called Naschmarkt and Brunnenmarkt. It was completely amazing and almost overwhelming with the amount of stalls and vendors. There was colorful produce, sweet treats, homewares and trinkets of all kinds. They were told where and when to meet and allowed to go off on their own and browse. It was a lot to take in and soon they were immersing themselves in all things Vienna and Austria.

“These are so beautiful,” Betty mentioned as they stood by a stall where a woman was making jewelry. She was using pretty crystals and beads to make bracelets, earrings and necklaces. The woman thanked her and Jughead’s eyes were drawn to a matching set made with beautiful green crystals. He touched them and smiled, thinking they were the exact color of Betty’s eyes.

Betty bought a pair of earrings and a bracelet and moved on to the next vendor who was selling pretty homemade soaps. As she was smelling them and trying to choose, Jughead slowly wandered up to her, fingering the soaps as well. 

“I’m hungry,” he mentioned as they browsed. Betty raised an eyebrow and looked at him. 

“We’ve been sampling pastries and cakes all morning,” she laughed. She bought a few soaps and they wandered around some more until Jughead found a bread and cheese stall. Betty had to hold him back from buying everything and they bought enough to snack on as they kept wandering.

“God, the cheese is amazing,” he sighed, popping another piece in his mouth. “I want to move here.”

“You can retire here,” Betty laughed. “Or maybe once you get that novel published and start making the big bucks, you can come here for half the year. A writer can write anywhere. Right?”

“I would never come here for half a year unless you come with me,” Jughead said with a smile as they headed to the place the guide had told them to meet up. All the things they had bought Jughead had safely tucked in the back pack he had brought along which now she was thankful he had thought of.

The meet up place was a tiny quaint restaurant, so full of charm that Betty couldn’t stop grinning. She sat with Jughead at a tiny table and they were served a variety of things to try including fish, spices, more cheese, breads, sausages and more pasties. Betty groaned and leaned back in her chair. 

“I seriously can’t eat another bite,” she sighed and shook her head when Jughead cleared everything off the table in no time. Everything tasted delicious and she wanted to wrap up all this food and take it home. 

“May I have your attention everyone?” Patrick said as they all finished up. “We will now head to a popular coffee house in Neubau and have a wonderful private tasting of yet some more coffees and that will conclude our Food Tour and I want to thank you all for joining me today.” He got a round of applause and they headed out to find this popular coffee house. The coffee of course was wonderful and Betty was beginning to wonder if there was anything in Vienna that wasn’t wonderful. They all said goodbye to Patrick and instead of calling the car, Betty and Jughead decided to walk back to the hotel and began to retrace their steps. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders as they walked and she leaned against him and yawned. 

“Do we have to go on this cruise thing later? I just want to go to sleep for 2 days,” she sighed around another yawn. Jughead laughed and kissed the side of her head. 

“It’s not even 2:00 yet and the cruise thing is at 6:00. We’ll have a nap and you’ll feel better,” he explained.

“If you say so,” she smiled. As hard as it was to believe, on the way back, Jughead made sure to sample everything he passed again. She really had no idea where the hell he put all that food and stayed as hot and fit as he was. 

When they got back to the hotel room, it was once again in pristine shape and Betty stepped out of her shoes and fell on the bed. “Wake me up in a week,” she groaned into the pillow and Jughead just laughed and flopped down beside her, pulling her against him. 

“Where do you want to eat dinner?” he asked.

“Jughead?” 

“Yeah?”

“Shut up about food,” she grumbled as she drifted off to sleep. The last thing she registered was his laughter.

 

When Betty woke, she felt like she had slept for days and felt completely rested. She sat up in bed and looked around in confusion. The curtains were open and it seemed almost too bright to be later in the day. Jughead walked out of the bathroom wearing a pair of black sweats and she bit her lip as her eyes wandered over her torso. 

“Good morning sleepy head,” he grinned. Betty froze and gaped at him.

“Morning?? Are you serious? Weren’t we going to go on a cruise?” Jughead sat down next to her on the edge of the bed and brushed her hair off her face.

“Well, I only woke around 7:00 last night, I guess we were both exhausted and you looked so peaceful, I just let you sleep.”

“Wow,” she breathed. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize,” Jughead laughed. “You were exhausted. So was I. I just got out of bed to grab some snacks and then went back to sleep,” he explained. “Oh, and to get you out of your clothes,” he said with a wink. Betty looked down and saw she was wearing her pajama shorts and his t-shirt. She grinned and grabbed his face and kissed him, moving to lay back and pull him with her.

“No babe, I was about to head to the gym. I heard there’s a great one here," he said, pulling her back up.

“I’ll give you a work out,” she said coyly, looking at him through her lashes. 

“Well, you know that stomach you like to touch and kiss and lick?” he asked teasingly, his lips brushing her ear.

“Mmmmm, yes,” she sighed, her hand moving down and brushing over the planes and smooth skin.

“It doesn’t look that way from laying around eating as much as I do,” he chuckled. “While I do have a rather speedy metabolism, it needs help.”

“Ugh, fine,” Betty sighed, flopping back on the bed. 

“Oh so cute when you pout,” he laughed, leaning down to kiss her. “There is some breakfast on the table by the balcony doors and I just set the coffee maker. I was going to use what we bought and it turns out the hotel has the same kind right here in the room.”

“Okay, thanks Jug,” she smiled. He kissed her again and then pulled on a t-shirt and headed out the door. When she got up, there was indeed a breakfast of various breakfast meats, eggs and of course pastries and jams of all kinds. As she ate, she looked through the hotels amenities and saw they had a spa and made a mental note to go visit it at least once. She finished up and went into the bathroom and drew herself a bath in the gigantic tub. She chose a bubble bath from several that were available and soon the smell of lilies filled the room.

Jughead came back to the room a while later and came into the bathroom, leaning against the vanity counter and smiling at her.

“You look sexy,” he said with a wink. Betty let her eyes trail over him and appreciated what a good work out does. 

“You want to join me?” she asked slyly. He grinned and pulled his shirt off and she let out a shaky breath. Clearly he had been working on his arms and stomach. She knew he worked out a few times a week but she was always at work when he did and seeing him right after, when the muscle were tense and defined to their max, she could barely breathe. He had barely lowered himself into the bubbles when she moved and straddled his lap, her mouth covering his. 

“Mmmmm,” he groaned as his arms came around her, his hands smoothing over her curves. Her caressed over her hips, up her side, gently cupping her breasts, his thumbs teasing the nipples before they came around the back and stroked over her back. “What’s got you so feisty,” he teased, pulling her flush against him, growing hard underneath her as their skin slid together.

“You,” she breathed. “You’re hot.”

“All about the looks,” he teased against her skin as his mouth trailed over her bare shoulder. Betty gripped his hair in her hand and pulled his head up. He winced as he grinned at her.

“I love you more than life and I will get horny over your hotness if I want to,” she said firmly. 

“Can I get horny over your hotness?” he chuckled, his hand moving down over her stomach and brushing lightly between her thighs. 

“Please,” she gasped. “I can think of nothing better than you horny just cause you looked at me.”

“Story of my life,” he said gruffly, taking her mouth in a searing kiss. It was a most delightful bath.

 

“What are we doing today?” Betty asked as she lay across the bed after their bath. She hadn’t bothered putting any clothes on yet and if Jughead was going to be honest, the thought of just staying in bed with her all day sounded pretty damn good to him.

“How does sight seeing sound?” Jughead asked with a smile as he pulled on a pair of jeans. She sat up on the edge of bed and grabbed the belt loops and pulled him to stand between her legs. 

“I don’t know,” she said coyly. “What are we going to be looking at?”

“You realize you’re sitting completely naked on a bed right?” he asked with a sigh. “I’m about ready to just say we’re getting under the covers and that’s that.” Betty giggled and leaned close and pressed a kiss to his skin right above his jeans and he grabbed her chin and lifted her head.

“Behave,” he said softly.

“Your skin is warm,” she murmured, kissing it again. Jughead stepped back and grabbed her hands, pulling her to her feet. 

“Get dressed woman,” he commanded with a slap on the ass. She jumped and giggled and went to find her clothes.

 

A couple hours later, Betty found herself on a bus, viewing the country side around Vienna and it was stunning. Their bus stopped in a beautiful and romantic looking wine village called Grinzing and they got to sample some wines and see how they were made. Jughead bought a couple of bottles and tucked them into his backpack while she walked over to a railing at the edge of an incline that showed an amazing view of the country side vineyards. 

“It’s amazing, isn’t it,” Jughead said softly as he walked up next to her, his arm draping around her shoulder. 

“It’s so beautiful and so different from the beauty of our concrete jungle,” Betty said, leaning against him. “I could definitely get used to this,” she sighed. After roaming the cobblestone streets, they headed to Danube Tower where they had a panoramic view of the entire country side and Vienna. 

“Now if there was ever a place to propose, this would be it,” Jughead said with a smile as he wrapped his arms around her from behind. Betty leaned back against him and smiled.

“Well, one day, if you want to propose, bring me back here,” she suggested. 

“Would you say yes?” he murmured against her ear.

“I’m pretty certain,” she teased, using their old love game on him. He grinned and nipped her ear and she grabbed his arms and pulled them tighter around her. “I love you Jughead,” she said softly.

“I love you too.”

 

Later that night, they sat cuddling on the boat as they took the cruise down the Danube Canal to see more of the city. There was a chill in the air and Betty sat back against Jughead as he wrapped his arm around him. There weren’t many people on this particular run and while the guide talked about what they were seeing, Betty and Jughead had a hard time hearing what he was saying and he was hard to understand, a problem they hadn’t had up till this point.

“Well, at least the view is beautiful,” Jughead said with a laugh as they took in the different buildings that looked rich with history.

“Just think, we could be sitting at home on the couch right now watching an old movie,” Betty laughed, pulling her legs up and wiggling against him. “Tomorrow is our last full day here, what are we doing?”

“Well, we’re going on a date, that’s for sure,” he informed her.

“Sweetie, this entire trip is a date,” she replied. “It’s amazing and I feel fantastic.”

“Well, I mean like we’re going to get dressed up fancy and go out on the town.”

“I didn’t bring anything fancy,” Betty said with a frown as she turned to look at him.

“Well, then we’re going to go shopping,” Jughead smiled. “Anything in particular you wanted to do? There is so much to do, I have no idea how to pick the activities past the ones I’ve already picked. Maybe at the hotel you could go through some of the tourist attractions?”

“Honestly, I’d rather just relax and shop and walk around and look at things,” Betty admitted. “I know there is so much to do here but we only have a few days and the last couple of days have been so wonderful learning culture and food and seeing the sights. I don’t want to try to cram everything into the little time we have here. We can come back for a longer vacation some time,” she suggested, biting her lip.

“You’d like that?” he asked gently.

“I really would.”

“Well, we better start saving or I better sell my book because it won’t be on your boss next time and we may go broke,” he laughed. She laughed with him and nodded in agreement.

“Definite future plans,” she said softly. “A return to Vienna and the rest of Europe.”

“So, how long a vacation should we be saving for?” he asked curiously.

“At least 2 full weeks, not including flying time.”

“Alright,” Jughead agreed. “How about when we get home, we start putting money aside into a jar or account or whatever and save.” Betty studied his face and saw he was completely serious. 

“That’s a very grown up, solid relationship thing to do,” she informed him with a soft smile. “Like, I’m talking major commitment. I mean, we could be talking years here.”

“How about this,” Jughead spoke, his eyes warm and dark and she shivered with sudden want. “I’m willing to commit as many years as you’d like to you and our relationship.” Betty gripped his hand and her eyes filled with tears.

“Jug, you don’t have to say that,” she whispered. “We don’t know what could…”

“Stop,” he said softly. “I love you so much it hurts and all I can see when I picture my life in front of me is you being in it. You are always in it. For as far as I can imagine.” Betty grabbed his face and pulled it to hers for a kiss. She didn’t care that there were people around, she just wanted to show him how much she loved him. When she pulled away he was breathing harsh against her cheek and holding her tightly.

“You are the best thing that has ever happened to me Jughead Jones,” she whispered.

“I’m pretty sure that’s my line,” he whispered back. Back at the hotel, they ended up on the floor as they stumbled to get out of their clothes.

“We’re having a lot of sex on this trip,” she gasped as his mouth moved over her skin.

“We’ll rest at home,” he commented and then proceeded to drive her out of her mind.

 

The following morning they were up pretty early and after a very tasty breakfast, Betty was laying on the bed looking through some brochures and rolled on her stomach as one caught her interest.

“Hey, I think I want to do one more tourist-y thing,” she said in excitement. 

“Oh yeah, what’s that?” Jughead asked, sitting next to her.

“Let’s tour the Hofburg Palace and grounds,” she suggested, showing him the paper. “We can see how royalty used to live.”

“Looks interesting,” he agreed.

“Oh and tomorrow, before we go to the bookstore, we can do that tour of the Opera house across the way here.”

“Suddenly you want to do everything?” he laughed.

“Well, just two things,” she grinned.

“Well, get that fine ass off the bed and get ready then. We got things to see!”

“God, you’re so bossy in Vienna,” she said with a grin. Jughead walked up to her and pulled her against him, his hands settling on said ass and lifting her. She giggled and wrapped her legs around him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

“I think you like it,” he winked.

“I think I might,” Betty said biting her lip. He let out a growl at the action and quickly set her down. 

“I don’t know what it is about this place, but all I want to do is fuck you,” he sighed. 

“Mr. Jones,” she gasped, hand over her heart in mock horror. “How dare you use such filthy words around me!” Jughead threw his head back and laughed.

“Ummm, if I recall, you said a lot of _fucks_ last night when my mouth was all over your pu-“ 

“Shut up,” she quickly interrupted with a laugh. “Also, I hate that word.”

“Well, what would you like me to call it?” he asked with a grin.

“My happy place,” she suggested. “Or maybe your happy place?” 

“That’s for sure,” he sighed, his eyes wandering down.

“Alright, alright, we have shit to do,” she giggled, stepping away and getting her things ready.

 

When they finally managed to get out of the hotel and into the car, they head over to Hofburg Palace. The place was huge. What was once a palace complex now housed the National Library, three art museums, a university, and the palace museums, among other things. 

Betty was most fascinated by the Sisi Museum, as in the name they gave Empress Elisabeth. There were 6 rooms that explored the personality and life of this unusual empress. Her entire life behind glass. Her dishes, including vast amounts of cutlery, her clothes, her letters, everything. A woman completely relegated to history and pop culture. 

“It’s so odd to see someone’s life immortalized behind glass,” Betty commented as she gazed at the clothes. “Like, they never really left or something.”

After the museum they explored the grounds some more, finding a harpist playing next to a rose garden that Jughead found interesting. They paused to listen a while and he grinned when Betty started twirling to the music. She was a vision and she always would be, he thought to himself.

When they finished with the tour, they headed back to the shops near their hotel because Betty was determined to buy a dress for their date. She wanted to shop alone and after arguing a bit because he didn’t want to leave her alone, Jughead promised he’d wait on the bench outside a shop she wanted to go into and not peek. 

“Do me a favor though,” he said with a smile. “Make sure the dress is green or black.” Betty raised an eyebrow and he shrugged. “I’ll tell you why later,” he promised. “Also, use this please,” Jughead requested, giving her his credit card.

“Jughead, no,” Betty shook her head. “You’ve been paying for almost everything and I can buy my own dress!”

“Fine,” he sighed, putting it away again. “But I’m paying for the entire date.”

“Well, of course you are,” she said with smirk and he laughed and gave her a quick kiss before she headed into the shop. She paused and looked at him. “How fancy should I be going here?” she asked.

“As fancy as you want,” was all he gave her. 

In the end, Betty chose a beautiful green dress that was more than she’d usually pay for a dress but she figured it was worth it. She had no idea where this date was so she chose something more on the fancy side but if they ended up going to a more casual place, well, she’d be the best dressed there.

They wandered around for a couple of hours, shopping and buying souvenirs and Betty had to chuckle after they left what had to be the 10th shop.

“Do you notice that they play Eidelweiss in pretty much every single gift shop?” she asked with a smile.

“Yup, and Mozart everywhere else,” Jughead observed.

“This place is truly amazing and I’m excited that we’re going to start saving to come back,” she said happily. Jughead just smiled and pulled her into his side as they walked. They got back to the hotel around 5:00 and Betty placed her bags on the bed and turned to Jughead. “What time is this date starting?” she asked. He glanced at the clock and thought for a minute. 

“We’ll leave here at 8:00,” he said, sitting in the chair and kicking off his shoes.

“Well, then I’m going to have to start getting ready soon,” Betty smiled.

“You can start getting ready in the spa in about half an hour,” Jughead said with a wink. Betty paused and started at him in surprise.

“What?” she gasped. “I really wanted to go to the spa but couldn’t seem to fit it in.”

“I booked us a couples massage,” he said, taking her hand and tugging her onto his lap. “A whole hour.”

“But that won’t give me enough time to get ready,” Betty exclaimed. “I have hair and makeup and…”

“Hey,” Jughead said gently. “You don’t need makeup and your hair is beautiful floating all around you.”

“Jug, honey, to make myself look like I’m wearing no makeup and like I have lovely wind tossed hair takes time,” she giggled. 

“Well the massage is over at 6:30 so that gives you an hour and a half,” he smiled. 

“Alright, you win,” she sighed. “But if my look doesn’t come together…”

“Impossible,” Jughead insisted. “That won’t happen.” They quickly jumped in the shower before heading down to the spa.

A while later, as they lay on massage tables, resting on their stomach and smiling at each other, Betty wished with everything in here that they were alone. The room was beautiful. The music soft, the candles glowing, the oil smelling of flowers, the massage exquisite. She reached over between the tables and he took her hand, lacing their fingers together. 

“I love you,” she whispered.

“Show me later,” he whispered back with a wink.

“We should do this back home at least once a month,” Betty sighed, before letting out a small blissful moan as the masseuse moved down her back. She bit back a giggle at the heated look that came over his face at the noise and she winked at him.

“It’s a good thing I’m on my stomach,” he growled softly and she covered her mouth with her hand to stop her laughter. She was wondering if they were going to send the ladies running before they even finished the massage. 

Once back in the hotel room, Betty chose the bathroom to get ready and locked herself in there while Jughead got ready in the main room. When she walked out an hour later, he was standing by the balcony door, looking out over the city and she felt her stomach erupt with butterflies as she looked at him. Dressed in black slacks and a white button up shirt, he looked incredible. She loved his usual casual look, but Jughead Jones dressed up was sexier than she would have ever thought. He turned then and saw her and promptly froze.

“Holy Jesus,” he said in awe, his eyes raking her from top to bottom. She had done as he had mentioned, wearing barely any makeup and her hair shone in waves around her shoulders and down her back. The dress she had chosen was a long green chiffon gown that flowed around her, the top sporting a deep V, with small shoulder sleeves and tying behind her back, leaving it half bare. “You look amazing,” he breathed and she flushed happily at his reaction. He walked over and touched her face. “Remind me again how I’m lucky enough to have you?” Betty wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled at him.

“You’re clean and you aren’t a serial killer,” she teased and he grinned and then promptly ruined her lip gloss by kissing the breath right out of her. When he pulled back she sighed in disappointment and he smirked as he walked over to the table and picked up a flat square box. She watched curiously as he walked back and handed it to her. 

“A little something to go with the dress,” he said softly and she took it and slowly opened it and let out a little gasp.

“Oh Jug,” she whispered, looking down at the crystal jewelry. She realized he must have bought it in the market the other day and her eyes filled with tears. 

“Don’t cry,” he said quickly, catching a tear at the corner of her eye. She blinked quickly and let out a little laugh as he took the box and pulled the necklace from it and she turned while he fastened it around her neck, placing a soft kiss on the skin next to it. It was a string of green crystals with a long black one hanging in the middle that came to rest directly between her breasts. The matching earrings dangled and glittered in her blonde waves and she looked in the mirror, touching it gently.

“It’s so beautiful,” she whispered.

“They reminded me of your eyes,” he said softly, noting how the jewels and dress made them stand out even more. She whirled around and kissed him again and he let himself get lost in her for a few moments before pulling back and handing her the small clutch she had bought to take along. Once she slipped into her heeled sandals, they headed out the door. She flushed at the looks and smiles they got as they walked through the lobby and out to the waiting car.

Jughead didn’t tell her where they were going and she watched the city lights pass them as the sun set. When the car stopped, he helped her out and led her up to a building and then down some stairs. The door opened and they walked in and Betty froze. 

“You can’t be serious,” she gasped as she looked around and then glared at him. “Why in God’s name did you let me buy a fancy dress?” she exclaimed.

“Because you’re beautiful and I wanted you to feel like a queen,” Jughead grinned.

“Jughead, we’re in a pub,” she groaned and then felt herself blush when it seemed like everyone was staring at them. Oh, they were most definitely over dressed. A waitress walked over to them and smiled.

“Well,” she said with a grin. “We don’t usually get the fancy folk in here. You guys get the best table in the house.” They were led to a booth which of course was in view of everyone and Betty had to laugh at the grin on Jughead’s face. It was cozy though and she choose to sit next to him rather than across.

“Sorry babe, I was told they had the best burgers here and you know I had to come here,” he explained. 

“Of course you did,” she said with an eyeroll.

“You guys look amazing,” the woman said. “You’re American?” Betty nodded and took the menu she was handed. “Welcome to Vienna.”

“Thank you,” Jughead smiled and declined his menu in order to share with Betty. The waitress smiled.

“Get you guys a drink?” she asked. Betty glanced at the menu and smiled up at her. 

“Get us the beer of the month,” she said. 

“Nice,” the woman smiled and walked away.

“Fancy dress and beer. I like your style woman,” Jughead laughed.

“As long as I don’t spill anything on myself,” she laughed. They browsed the menu and when the waitress came back with their beer they were ready. 

“I’ll have the great Aussie bite and she’ll have the cheeseburger,” Jughead said, handing her the menu. 

“With fries?”

“Of course.” Once the lady left, Betty turned to Jughead.

“You realize that we’re in Austria and you chose an Australian pub,” she said with a laugh.

“I don’t care, the burgers are supposed to be fantastic,” he shrugged. 

He was right. They were incredible. And huge. Betty gave up half way through hers and watched in amazement as Jughead polished off his food and then the rest of hers.

“Where in the name of all that’s holy do you put it all,” she asked in shock. 

“I think my mother once called me a medical marvel,” he said with a smile. “Give me a few and I’ll be ready for dessert.” 

“You’re insane,” she laughed as she snuggled close to him. “Tell me, Mr. Jones, what else do you have planned for this evening. If we can move.”

“The next part will require moving,” he laughed. “And later will require moving as well,” he whispered against her ear, his hand landing on her thigh and stroking gently. Betty pressed closer and turned her head so her lips grazed his. 

“Isn’t that like swimming after eating?” she teased.

“I don’t give a fuck,” he said gruffly. “Drowning in you would be the best possible way to go.” That got him a proper kiss that got them whistles and hollers and she pulled away, blushing red and hid her face in his neck. They sat for a while longer until their stomachs were a bit more settled and then paid their bill and left. Outside, night had fallen and the car was waiting and Betty looked at Jughead to see what his plan was. He just smiled and opened the car door for her and they climbed in and soon were on their way.

“Where we going?” she asked curiously.

“Well, I figured you’d probably want to make use of that dress somewhere that isn’t a burger joint,” Jughead laughed. Betty slid over next to him and cuddled close.

“The burger joint was very _you_ and I’d expect nothing less,” she said matter-of-factly. Jughead just smiled and they sat in silence for a while, just enjoying being near each other and soon the car was pulling up in front of what appeared to be a park. They climbed out and Jughead took her hand as they started following a walking path that was lit with torches and there were twinkling lights in the trees they were walking under. They came to a beautifully displayed restaurant of sorts, with a small orchestra playing Mozart and a dance area and Betty bit her lip and smiled at him.

They were led to a small round table where a dessert menu was waiting with glasses of sparkling wine. Jughead held her chair for her and she sat and smiled as he moved his chair so it was beside hers.

“You’re being very romantic,” she said softly, touching her hand to his face.

“We’re in Vienna,” he chuckled. “If I don’t do something romantic at least once, I don’t deserve to be here with you.”

“Well, you’ve been amazing the entire time we’ve been here,” Betty informed him. “I will never forget this as long as I live.” Jughead took her hand and lifted it, placing a soft kiss on the back of it. She grinned and he laughed and pulled her in for a kiss. 

A few moments later, they pulled apart and had a look at the menu and despite the meal they had, ordered a sample tray of desserts and sat back to enjoy the music. Betty watched a few couples dance and she looked at Jughead and bit her lip.

“Do you dance?” she asked curiously. He shrugged with a smile and took a sip of his wine. 

“I don’t not dance,” he replied. “Can’t be that hard, right? Hold each other and sway?” Betty giggled at his observation.

“Yeah, that sounds right,” she agreed. When their sampler tray came, they each took a bite of several desserts and when Betty moaned in delight over one rather fluffy pastry, Jughead’s eyes darkened and he wanted to be the one causing her to moan. After they had their fill of the desserts and a second glass of wine, Jughead stood and offered Betty his hand. She smiled and placed her hand in his and stood.

“Would you care to dance, Miss Cooper,” he asked with a slight bow. Betty giggled and nodded and he led her to the dance floor and wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close, his other hand holding hers tightly against his chest.

“Is this a proper dance stance?” she teased, placing her other hand on his shoulder.

“I don’t know but it feels pretty good to me,” he murmured, holding her gaze as they started to sway to the music. Betty laid her head against his shoulder and swayed with him, her fingers moving to play with the hair at the nape of his neck. Despite his attempts to tame the black mass, it still fell over his forehead and went every which way when he ran his fingers through it.

“This is perfect,” she whispered and he pulled her a little tighter. His lips pressed against her forehead and she burrowed closer, seeking his warmth and loving the feel of his strong arm around her.

“You’re perfect,” he whispered back and she shook her head.

“I’m really not, but thank you for thinking so,” she smiled, pressing a kiss to his neck.

“You are to me and don’t argue because I’ll win,” he said gruffly, his hand sliding over her back, leaving goosebumps when he touched the bare skin. After a few minutes it settled on her lower back and he let out a sigh.

“How long did you want to be in this dress?” he asked and she laughed softly.

“Why Jughead Jones, are you already thinking about taking it off?” she teased, leaning her head back to look at him. She promptly lost her breath at the look in his dark eyes.

“I’ve been wanting to take it off since you put it on,” he confessed in a heated low growl. “But we’ve only been out for about three hours and I already want to take you back to the hotel.” Betty lifted her fingers off his shoulder and brushed them across his cheek.

“I can wear this dress at home on a fancy date as well,” she said softly. “I’ll wear it again.” It was her way of letting him know it was okay to head back to the hotel for a dessert they were both craving more than any pastry. Jughead stepped back and grabbed her hand and led her back to their table. He paid the bill and they headed back to the car and Betty could feel her body build up in excitement. They had already had a lot of sex on this trip but she had a feeling that this evening would rival the night of their first date. The ride back to the hotel was filled with kisses and caresses and when they finally arrived at the hotel and opened the door to their room, Betty gasped as she looked around.

“Oh Jug,” she whispered taking in the candle light and flowers. They seemed to be everywhere. On the small table was a tray with champagne and the famous sacher torte and she suddenly had a mad urge to lick it off him. “When did you plan all this?” she asked breathlessly as she looked around. 

“The other day while you were sleeping,” Jughead said softly. Betty’s entire body was humming and she was suddenly in need of deep gulps of fresh air and she dropped her clutch and stepped out of her shoes and went out on the balcony, resting her hands on the railing and taking a deep breath. Jughead came up behind her, his hands settling on her hips and making her lose her breath all over again when his lips pressed to her shoulder. “You are so beautiful,” he whispered, his tongue teasing her skin, his hands sliding down the front of her thighs. “Do you know how much I want you?” he asked, pressing against her and she moaned when she could feel he was already hard.

“You’re making me burn,” she whimpered when a hand came up and brushed gently over her breast. When his hand slid into the material, he groaned against her ear to find she wasn’t wearing a bra. Betty arched her back, pressing into his hand and he squeezed gently, his thumb teasing over the nipple. She was extremely aware of his other hand that was pulling up the cloud of chiffon until he could smooth over the skin of her thigh and brush teasingly between her legs that had her bucking against him. “Someone wi – will see,” she stuttered as he cupped her.

“I can feel how much you want me,” he said against her ear, applying pressure to her core. She let out a needy moan, pressing herself against his fingers. “All this heat and I bet if I slipped my hand into this lace, I’d find you wet and silky.” He didn’t seem to care that someone could come out on the adjacent balconies and see what they were doing as he teased his fingers along the edge of her panties, which were getting soaked with arousal.

“Please,” she whispered, desperate for him to touch her. His hand on her breast squeezed again and the other slipped into the lace, his fingers sliding into her folds. They both groaned, her from the unbelievable pleasure and him from finding exactly what he thought he’d find; wet silky heat. He circled her clit gently and she jerked against him, her head falling back against his shoulder, her hips rolling with his fingers. “Fuck,” she groaned when his fingers moved down and slid inside her. Jughead let go of her breast, his hand coming up to settle gently over her mouth, muffling her rather loud moans as he stroked her. 

“We wouldn’t want the neighbouring room to wonder where all the moaning is coming from outside,” he chuckled as his tongue licked against her ear. That sent her spinning as she thought of their precarious position, out in the open where anyone beside them coming out and looking over could see what was happening. It added a sense of thrill and heightened arousal that surprised her. She would have never thought of herself as a thrill seeking exhibitionist but with Jughead, she simply forgot to think rationally. Jughead could feel her legs shaking, her body tightening with impending release and he quickened the movement of his fingers.

“Oh my god,” she gasped behind his hand, her hand coming up to slide into his hair.

“Come for me baby,” he growled against her neck. “Come all over my fingers out here where anyone could see.” He latched on to her neck and sucked and she splintered apart, his hand over her mouth tightening a little as her moans increased when she fell apart. He stroked gently as she rode it out and then she sagged against him, pulling his hand away from her mouth to take gasping breathes to calm herself down. She could feel his smile against her neck and slowly turned, her face flushed, eyes dark and hooded. He lifted his hand to his mouth and slowly licked them clean, causing her core to clench again.

“That was very naughty,” she said as her hand slid up his front and her fingers toyed with the buttons of his shirt. “Maybe I should make you lean against the railing while I kneel in front of you,” Betty suggested. 

“Are you expecting me to protest the idea?” he asked, his voice sounding a little strangled and she bit her lip as she popped one button open and moving to the next until she had a good amount of his torso bare. She leaned in and licked her tongue over the skin and heard his intake of breath and she smiled, pushing gently against him and backing him toward the room

“I’m not quite that brave,” she admitted as she finished unbuttoning his shirt while they passed through the door and into more privacy. Her hands worked on his belt and pulled it loose and then got to work on his pants. She wrapped a hand around the back of his head and pulled him down for a tongue filled kiss as her other hand reached into his boxers and wrapped around his rock hard arousal, and was gifted with a deep guttural groan as he bucked into her hand. 

Betty let her mouth trail down his neck and chest, across his abdomen as she slowly sank to her knees, her dress spreading around her in a green cloud. She smiled up at him as she licked down the sexy line of hair that disappeared into his boxers and he clenched his jaw, his hand sliding into her hair. The image of Betty, kneeling in front of him in a beautiful gown as she pulled his erection out was something he was going to have burned into his brain for eternity.

When her tongue trailed up the length and she smiled up at him he almost grabbed her to throw her on the bed so he could bury himself so deep that they could never come apart. He refrained and only curled his hand in her hair into a fist as she licked over his tip and his head fell back, a groan falling from his lips. Betty took him in her mouth, as deep as she could and he bucked against her, his body seeming having a mind of his own. She pulled back and took a breath and then took him deep again, her hand wrapping around the base as she licked and sucked on him.

Betty had never really been a fan of the act but with Jughead, she craved it. She loved how she could make him lose control simply by putting her mouth on him and the feel and taste of him was intoxicating. The more he moaned, the more enthusiastic she became, her head bobbing, the sounds she was making as she worked him making him thrust further into her mouth. Jughead suddenly reached down and grabbed her under the arms, pulling her up. She gasped and grasped his open shirt to steady herself. 

“I wasn’t finished,” she said with a frown. 

“I don’t want to come yet,” he said gruffly. “I want to wait and let it build until I can’t take it anymore and then I want to explode inside you.” Betty lost her breath at the image and felt her core clench in need. He took her hand and led her over to the tall antique mirror that stood in the corner, making her face it as he stood behind her. His hands undid her dress and then it dropped to pool at her feet, leaving her standing in a pair of black lace panties. She flushed when his thumbs hooked in the elastic and slowly pulled them down, holding her gaze in the mirror.

“Jug?” she spoke softly, the look on her face questioning.

“Look at yourself,” he said softly. “Look how beautiful you are.” Betty watched as his hand stroked down her body, caressing the curves. Her hips that she thought a little too big, over her backside that she thought a little too filled out, back around over her stomach that she usually thought was too soft, up over her breasts – well, her breasts she actually thought were perfect and apparently so did he as he stopped and cupped them, his thumbs sliding over the nipples. Something about watching his hands on her, cupping her, giving her pleasure made her feel more beautiful than she had ever felt and the heat once again pool between her thighs. He moved in front of her and gave her a long thorough kiss and then sank to his knees, kissing his way down much like she had done. 

Betty watched in the mirror and felt the heat infuse her body and her face and she almost felt like an observer watching a couple give each other pleasure. When his mouth reached her core and his tongue came out and licked into her, her knees nearly buckled. Seeing his head between her legs, even though she had seen it before while they were in bed, but for whatever reason, her standing in front of a mirror was more arousing than anything she had ever experienced. She moaned as his tongue found her clit and she suddenly realized that she liked things a little naughty, a little out of the ordinary. She could feel her legs giving out and Jughead noticed too and he suddenly got up and as she gasped for breath, grabbed the chair with no arm rests and set it down, pushing her down into it. He grinned at her and knelt again and ran his hands up the inside of her thighs and spread her legs obscenely wide and she swallowed nervously, her face red as her eyes went to the mirror and saw herself on full display.

“We’re going to need to burn this chair when we’re done,” she said jokingly, trying to calm her racing heart. Jughead grinned and leaned over the grab the robe that lay on the end of the bed and got her to lift so he could put it under her. She giggled at his resourcefulness and then wondered just what he planned to do that would need a robe to protect the chair. He answered her silent question by pulling her suddenly to the edge of the chair and raking his tongue over her. “Oh shit,” she gasped, grabbing the edge of the chair as her body jolted on contact. 

Betty leaned back, her eyes closing as the pleasure took over. The eager sounds coming from Jughead were almost obscene as he licked and sucked and devoured her, his tongue swirling around her clit and pushing inside her. Her hand found purchase in his hair, clenching it in a fist as she bucked against him. When his fingers joined his eager mouth, sliding two deep inside her, she let out a long moan, pressing against his mouth, feeling her body racing toward orgasm. Just as the tension was about to snap, he pulled away and she whimpered in disappointment and he smirked and lifted up, taking her mouth in a dirty kiss. She could taste herself and it only made her more desperate.

“Please, Jug,” she begged. “I need to come.”

“You already came once,” he teased, his fingers starting to move again, grunting in satisfaction as she clenched around them. “My eager beautiful girl,” he murmured against her breast as he moved slowly back down. He paused to take a nipple in his mouth, sucking eagerly and biting gently. She jumped and groaned when he moved to the other side, swirling his tongue around the peak, sucking her into his mouth. He moved down against and raked his tongue over her, smiling up at her. “Do you want to come all over my tongue?” he asked with a smug smirk. She had no idea where this Jughead had been with the naughty ideas and dirty talking but she liked it and she hoped he stayed around.

“Yes, please,” she begged again, moving her hips toward him. He set on her again, sucking on her clit and only moments later she fell apart with a long cry that she hoped nobody heard. He groaned as her release covered his tongue and he cleaned her up as she slowly came down, wilting into the chair. He straightened up and brushed her hair back, his eyes dark and filled with desire. 

“You want to try something?” he asked with a smile. Betty willed herself to calm down as she looked at his questioning look.

“Su – sure,” she stumbled, wondering what on earth he could possibly want to do now. He stood and rid himself of his clothes and helped her up and then he sat down in the chair. “What are you doing?” she asked with a laugh. 

“Turn around,” he said softly. “Face the mirror and straddle my legs.” Betty sucked in a breath and did as he asked, backing up and positioning herself the way he wanted. She shivered as he adjusted her so he rested between her legs, sliding against her core. 

“Jug,” she whimpered as she looked at them in the mirror. She had never felt so sexual, her legs hanging over his, her sex open and glistening, his arousal resting against her slick heat. He shifted lightly and nudged against her clit and she gasped, unable to close her legs against the sensation.

“You okay?” he asked gently and she bit her lip and nodded her head, finding and holding his gaze in the mirror. She relaxed against his chest and he shifted again and her eyes dropped down and she watched as he slowly disappeared inside her. 

“Fuck,” she whispered, the feeling unlike anything she had felt before. She was so incredibly full and her body clutched at him, pulling him deeper, reaching a depth she hadn’t known could be reached.

“Holy shit, you’re so fucking tight like this,” he groaned into her neck. She watched fascinated as he held her hips and pulled out slightly and then sank back in. It was dirty, raw and felt so incredibly good, she could barely breathe. He held her still as he moved up into her, slowly and deeply and she could feel her body starting to shake as his movements stoked against her spot inside her over and over. “I want to watch you touch yourself,” he whispered against her ear. Betty whimpered and moved her hand and stroked her fingers over her clit and his groan as they both watched in the mirror made her shudder. She lifted her free hand and wrapped it around the back of his neck, anchoring herself as they moved together, her ache building to heights that almost frightened her. 

“Jug,” she whimpered, her body starting to tighten. “I’m…I’m….” her eyes rolled to the back of her head, her body tensing and bowing as an orgasm slammed into her with an intensity that took her breath. 

“Holy fuck,” Jughead breathed as he watched her fall apart, his movements stilling as she clenched and pulled at him, her body rolling in release, a shimmer of sweat covering her skin, making him almost spill right then and there as the candlelight made her almost glow. He felt his release licking at his abdomen, the burn making his stomach clench. He had never seen anything so beautiful and erotic. He moved her hand and replaced it with his own, keeping up the rub on her clit and she shook, her body still grabbing at him and he couldn’t wait any more. He moved and stood and she gasped, almost unaware of what was happening as he pulled out and carried her to the bed, setting her down and pulling her to the edge. He spread her legs and sank back into her again, the need to come inside her overwhelming. It took only a few hard thrusts and he felt it start to uncoil and burn through him, his body releasing in a hard shudder. Betty cried out at his hard thrusts, her body still not fully recovered, still caught in the spin of release as he growled through his orgasm, spilling hot and wet inside her. He fell against her, whimpering her name into her hair as they shook together and sank into the sheets.

“Holy shit,” Betty gasped as she slowly regained her senses. Jughead took a little longer to come to his and she had to pinch him to get him to move to the side and she took deep breaths to get air into her lungs. “Please tell me we can do that again,” she breathed.

“I hope you don’t mean tonight,” he managed to finally groan. “I can’t feel my cock.” Betty started to giggle and soon it developed into breathless laughter as she tried to catch her breath and actually breathe normally. She was still laying on the edge, her legs hanging over and he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her up beside him.

“That was amazing,” she said when she could finally speak. “How long have you been wanting to do that?” she asked.

“I didn’t really. The idea just came to me when you were sitting on the chair and I decided I wanted to watch myself fuck you,” he said casually. She flushed and let out a shaky sigh.

“Well, lets do that again some time,” she suggested with a smile.

“Oh, absolutely,” he agreed with a yawn. “How about we go shower and have some torte. I’m hungry now.”

“Of course you are,” she laughed and slowly got off the bed. “Wow, I might need some help,” she said with a groan. Her entire body aching in the best way. He got up to help her, or maybe they helped each other as they were both groaning as they got into the shower.

After they got cleaned up, they snuggled on the bed and shared the delicious torte and drank champagne in between kisses and smiles.

“So, we’re headed home tomorrow?” he spoke later as they snuggled under the covers and got ready to sleep. “6:00pm flight?”

“Yes. I did want to tour the Opera house but I may just choose sleeping in and save it for our return trip,” she sighed as she yawned. “I’m picking up the books at noon and then I guess we’ll figure out what to do with a couple hours and when to go to the airport. Customs shouldn’t be a problem with the books because all my paperwork is in order.”

“So, it’s farewell Vienna,” Jughead said softly, holding her close to him. 

“I love it here,” Betty said against his neck. “But I miss our home and our bed.”

“Well, then home we shall go,” Jughead said with a smile. It had been a wild and sexy adventure and neither would ever forget it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> one chapter to go!!


	12. The Final Chapter: Moments of Surprise

_5 Months Later_

Jughead was sitting on the couch, writing, when there was a knock at the door. He frowned and looked at the time, realizing Betty was going to be home from work soon and wondered who it could be. He got up and went to the door, stiffening in surprise when he looked through the peep hole. He took a breath and opened the door for his father.

“Dad,” he said simply, not really sure what else he could say in greeting. He could have said it was good to see him but he didn’t know if it was. He hadn’t spoken to his father in 6 months since the incident at his birthday party and he had text him for a few weeks after and FP’s reply’s had gotten shorter and few and far between until he just quit replying. It had been a hard pill to swallow after what he had thought was a new start, and now, here he was again.

“Can I come in?” FP asked.

“How do you know where I live?” Jughead asked.

“I called Archie,” his father replied sheepishly. Jughead rolled his eyes and stepped aside, letting him in. FP walked in and let out a low whistle as he looked around. “Wow, this is quite a step up,” he commented.

“You staking the place? Serpents running out of places to rob?” Jughead asked sarcastically. FP let out a laugh.

“I guess I deserve that,” he shrugged. Jughead leaned against the island and folded his arms across his chest.

“What do you want?” he asked. FP sighed and motioned to the couch.

“Can we sit?” 

“Take your boots off. Betty doesn’t like outside footwear on the floor,” Jughead said, heading over to the couch. FP did as asked and joined him. 

“You’ve done really well for yourself, Jughead,” he said after a few minutes of silence. “How’s Betty? Still good on that front?”

“Yes, she’s great,” Jughead said quietly, watching the man pick at imaginary nothings on his leather jacket. 

“Your sister told me you guys went to Vienna. That’s pretty amazing,” FP said with a smile.

“It was.”

“I guess she’s it for you? Betty?”

“Yes, she is. Are you here to talk about Betty?” Jughead asked with raised eyebrow. 

“No, no, just trying to break the ice a little,” FP said softly.

“Why are you here?”

“Your mother is moving back to New York and we’re getting back together,” the older man blurted out. Of all the things Jughead thought his father would say, that wasn’t it. He stared at him in shock and surprise.

“I don’t understand,” Jughead said in confusion. “She left because of the Serpents, because of all the bullshit that that entailed. Why would she come back 10 years later? How did this even happen?”

“Well, when Jelly went home after my birthday party, I guess she told her what had happened and she called me and gave me royal shit about what went down with you and Betty and how I did nothing about it and basically gave me an ear full telling me that I was a useless idiot and she wished, just once in my life that I would put my family before my snakes,” FP said, sounding a little broken. “I realized that she was right. Since the day I married her and we had you kids, I never put you guys first and for that, I’m so fucking sorry. You have no idea Jughead. Everything I said to you was true that day in the hospital and as usual, I went and fucked it up at my party because I didn’t have the balls to stand up and tell them off. And really that’s all it boiled down to. I still wanted to be the big man everyone looked up to, I wanted to be liked and loved by them and your mother made me realize that that should come from my family. I should be worried about being loved and liked by my family.”

“She’s right about that,” Jughead said in agreement. His relationship with his mother wasn’t the strongest as he had always felt abandoned by her but it had been alright for the last few years and while he understood why she left, he had always been bothered that she could leave her son behind without a thought. Although at the time, when he was so determined to be a serpent, he would have fought her tooth and nail to not go with.

“Well, that’s what I told her and she kept calling me to see how I was doing and we just started talking and I went to see her 2 months ago and things just kind of went from there,” FP said with a smile. “Now, I realize while this was all happening, I was once again letting my relationship with you slide because apparently I’m incapable of maintaining more than one relationship at a time,” he added with a roll of his eyes.

“You maybe wanting to fix things to give the illusion we’re good when she gets here?” Jughead asked with an annoyed smirk. It might have been harsh to say, but he felt like that’s what it was.

“No, I mean….shit….fuck, I don’t know, maybe?” FP sighed. “I’m not saying I don’t want to fix this Jughead, because I do. You’re my son and I’m getting your mother back and Jelly is coming with her and I just….I guess I don’t want her walking into a shitty situation where her son won’t come and visit if she wants.”

“Dad, things were going great and I came to your party and both Betty and I got disrespected and the most you did was send a grown ass man home like some fucking kid. You didn’t even pretend I was important to you,” Jughead scoffed. “Now you want to put a band aid on something that needs a full body cast because I might not come to Sunday dinner?”

“Jughead, I want us to have a relationship, not just for your mother’s sake, but for mine as well. I know I fucked up but I wasn’t lying that day in the hospital. I’m so fucking proud of you and all you’ve accomplished and how far you’ve come and that fact that you’re my son blows my mind. I mean, I’m 50 years old and I haven’t done shit with my life and you’re literally all I have to be proud of, you and your sister and what you’ve accomplished isn’t even because of anything I’ve done. You did this shit all on your own, with no guidance from a father and I just….i’m so proud Jug. Really.” Jughead leaned back and sighed. He was almost 26 and while things didn’t have to be lovey dovey between him and his father, keeping up this anger and disappointment didn’t go over well either. He may as well be grown up about it.

“I still don’t understand why she’s coming back. I mean she left because of the Serpents,” Jughead asked in confusion.

“Well, I resigned and sold the bar.”

“What?” Jughead asked, shocked.

“Sweet Pea came into some money when his grandfather died and when I offered it to him at a fair price, he bought it. I also gave him my jacket. I’m no longer with the Serpents.” 

“Wow,” Jughead said slowly, having not expected any of that information. “So, what are you doing, exactly?”

“Security,” FP informed him and then rolled his eyes at the look he got. “The legal kind.”

“When is she coming out here?” Jughead asked after a few moments of silence, leaning his head back on the couch and staring at the ceiling.

“Next week Wednesday.” 

“Tell her Betty and I will be over for dinner the following Sunday.”

“Jug, you don’t have to just….”

“It’s fine dad. Let’s see how this goes, yeah? I mean, I haven’t seen her in almost a year, so it’s time.” 

Before FP could say anything, the door opened and Betty walked in. She stopped in surprise and stared at them and Jughead smiled, his heart lightening when he saw her. He got up and went to her, giving her a tight hug. 

“Hi baby,” he whispered, giving her a soft kiss.

“Hi love,” she whispered back. “What’s your father doing here?” she asked curiously, peeking around him.

“Just dropped in,” Jughead said, turning to face him again. FP stood up and walked over with a smile.

“I was just leaving. Came by to give Jughead some news is all. It’s good to see you Betty.”

“You too,” she offered as he put his boots back on. He gave Jughead another look and a nod and left the apartment. Betty turned to look at Jughead who let out a long sigh and wrapped his arms around her again. “You had a good day?” she asked cautiously. 

“Yeah, I did and now it’s even better,” he smiled, kissing her again. Betty wrapped her arms around his neck and returned his kiss eagerly. It had been a long day and she was so happy it was Friday because nothing made her happier than spending the weekend with the love of her life. “How was your day?” he said against her mouth, lifting her off her feet and walking with her toward the couch. 

“Oh it was alright. Did some book restoration, day dreamed about my sexy man, made plans to ravish him this evening. You know, the usual,” she teased.

“God damn, that lucky bastard. Who’s lucky enough to get to be your sexy man?” he asked with a grin, trailing kisses along her jaw. 

“Mmmmm this tall, dark haired hot fellow who’s entirely too smug and arrogant about how he made me fall in love with him. He thinks it was his flirting and charm,” Betty giggled.

“What a jerk!” Jughead scoffed as he fell back on the couch with her in his lap. “What made you fall in love with him?”

“His cleanliness and he doesn’t kill people,” she said with a dramatic sigh. 

“Is that right?” he smirked. “If you would have asked me, I’d probably say it was his hands and mouth that did it,” he said as said hands wandered up her shirt and his mouth pressed kisses on her neck. 

“All of the above,” she breathed, her hands sliding into his hair. “And so much more.” Jughead took her mouth with his and his kiss was thorough and consuming and when they broke for air she found herself under him on the couch, her legs wrapped around him. He smiled down at her and she touched his face, brushing her fingers tips over his mouth. “I love you….” She began.

“More than I can explain,” he finished. They had been together for months now and their love had a strength that seemed unshakable. If there was anything that they doubted or worried about, the fact that they loved each other wasn’t on the list. She kissed him again and then lay back while he braced over her. 

“Are you alright? What brought your father around?” she asked softly. Jughead let out a sigh and sat up, pulling her with him and drawing her onto his lap again, holding her close. 

“My mom is moving to New York and they’re getting back together.” Betty sat back and stared at him in surprise. She had heard all the details of his life at that point and from what she knew, the two had never even really talked since she’d left and the relationship long forgotten. “And he sold the bar and left the Serpents.” 

“Wow, big day for FP. How on earth did that happen?” she asked. Jughead told her what he knew and what his father said and she leaned in and gave him a hug. “Well, maybe this will be really good?” Betty said, more as a question than a statement. “A way for your family to be whole again.”

“My family _is_ whole,” Jughead smiled. “Right here, you and me.”

“You and me, huh?” she asked with a smile. 

“You’re literally all I need,” he said softly, giving her a gentle kiss. 

“Well, what if it wasn’t just you and me? What if there was more? How do you feel about babies?” Jughead grabbed her arms and leaned her back, looking at her in shock.

“Are you pregnant?” he asked in excitement, a grin spreading across his face. Betty looked at him in surprise and burst out laughing.

“No, silly, I’m just asking how you feel about babies,” she giggled. “And now I know.”

“Holy shit, don’t do that to me,” he gasped. “You had me all excited.”

“Really?” Betty asked with a smile. “You’d be happy if I got pregnant?”

“Well, yeah! Little Betty’s running around would literally make my life.”

“Little Betty’s,” she repeated, bursting into fits of laughter. “Why not little Jughead’s?” she asked.

“One is enough,” he laughed. “But the world could definitely use more of you and we have an extra room!”

“Okay okay, let’s not get ahead of ourselves mister,” Betty said with another laugh. 

“Fine,” he sighed. “Dash my dreams.”

“You’re such a goof,” she retorted. “I only asked because a woman came into the store today and she had the sweetest little baby with her and I know we’re in this for the long haul and just wanted to know where you stood on that.”

“I would be thrilled if we had a baby,” Jughead said truthfully.

“Well, that’s good to know,” she smiled. “But for right now, enough baby talk; that will come at some point I’m assuming. Right now I’m hungry.”

“Isn’t that my line?” he asked as she climbed off his lap. 

“Yes well I stole it,” Betty smiled.

“Like my heart?” he teased.

“Oh no, you gave me that willingly.”

“So true,” he agreed as he joined her in the kitchen.

 

 

_2 Months Later_

 

Betty was in the bathroom giving it a good deep clean when Jughead came barging into the apartment louder than usual.

“Babe, you home?” he called out. 

“Bathroom,” she answered back and when he appeared in the doorway he paused and raised an eyebrow at her kneeling beside the toilet.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Cleaning obviously,” she grumbled. “Why else would I be kneeling beside a toilet wearing rubber gloves and holding a toilet brush.”

“I don’t know,” he laughed. “I never thought about how the toilet got clean.” Betty sat back and laughed.

“Did you think it was self-cleaning?” she asked.

“Wow, now I feel bad. How often do you clean the toilet?”

“Pretty often,” she said with a laugh. “Would you like to take over?” she asked jokingly.

“Sure,” Jughead said with a shrug. “Show me how you do it and I’ll do it from now on.”

“Okay, you win, I’ll marry you!” Betty sighed dramatically. “No need to bribe me with toilet cleaning duties.” Jughead chuckled and squatted down next to her, resting his forearms on his thighs and lacing his fingers. 

“I don’t remember asking you to marry me,” he said with a soft smile, his eyes taking on a warmth that made her shiver.

“No, but you will,” she said softly.

“You sure about that?” he teased.

“I’m pretty certain,” she said, sounding a little breathless. It was a strange place to have a conversation about getting married, kneeling beside a toilet, but as usual, he made her forget everything but him. The brush dropping from her hand popped the bubble and she jumped. Jughead was grinning and she rolled her eyes at herself. “Just don’t do it now. If I have to tell our kids we got engaged next to the toilet, I won’t be happy.”

“Kids, huh? How many we thinkin?” Jughead teased. 

“Oh shush,” she laughed, pulling off her gloves and letting him help her to her feet. “What are you doing home anyway? Don’t you have a shift?”

“I took the night off so we could celebrate,” he informed her. She looked at him in surprise as she put her cleaning things under the sink and washed her hands. 

“You’re a week early,” Betty said with a smile. He paused in confusion and stared at her. 

“What’s in a week?”

“Our anniversary,” she grinned.

“Isn’t that in like three months? Did I lose time somewhere?”

“No, the anniversary of the day we met,” Betty explained. “I think that’s the most important one because it’s the day my world changed and I met the love of my life.”

“God, that’s….i love you,” he blurted, not sure what else to say to her wonderful words. "But no, we have another reason to celebrate.”

“Did I miss an important date?” Betty asked in confusion.

“It just became one today,” he smiled. “My book got picked up by a publisher.”

“Oh my God!” she gasped in delight. “That’s amazing!” Betty threw herself into his arms and hugged him tight and he held her close and let out a happy growl. She pulled back and looked at him. “Really?” she asked, just to be sure. 

“Well, unless the publishing company who called and asked me for a meeting is playing a horrible joke, then yes, really,” Jughead said with a smile. She hugged him again and placed kisses all over his face.

“I’m so proud of you,” she exclaimed happily. “This is so exciting! We have to celebrate!!” 

“Well, I was having lunch with my mom when I got the call and she decided we need to have a party, so they’re going to come by later with Pizza and beer.”

“Nice, then I don’t have to cook,” Betty said with a smile. “How is your mom?”

“Good, I guess. It’s still a bit strange seeing her once a week now, but we’re getting there I guess. Her and my dad are still good, so fingers crossed.”

Betty had met his mother 2 months prior when she had first come to the city and had found her to be quiet and reserved. It had been strange to sit across from her and FP and see Jughead in both of them. While he looked more like his father, the olive skin and blue eyes came from his mother. FP and Gladys Jones made beautiful children. The dinner at FP’s had been a bit awkward with Jellybean and Jughead doing most of the talking and the second time she had met the woman, they had all met for drinks and it had been a little better but it was definitely going to take some time.

“What time are they coming by?” Betty asked as she headed into the bedroom. Jughead came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. 

“Not for another couple of hours,” he said against her ear, his hands sliding under her shirt. 

“And I supposed you have something in mind to fill the time,” she laughed, turning around and wrapping her arms around his neck. 

“Oh, I don’t know,” he grinned, walking her backwards toward the bed. “We could work up a sweat and take a shower or, we could just hop in the shower and do it all in one place.”

“Or maybe...I kind of have fond memories of a balcony in Vienna,” Betty teased. “Why don’t we go out there?”

“Don’t even tease,” he growled. 

“I’m not,” she whispered against his ear. 

“And you’re only coming up with this now?” he asked with a sigh. “We could have been having naughty balcony sex for months already,” Jughead pouted. Betty giggled and pulled him down on the bed and he landed between her thighs, his body nestled against hers. 

“Well, goof, it was winter and a little too cold to have sex on the balcony. But spring is here again and so we can put that thing to good use again. How about,” she said slowly, arching up against him and got a groan out of him. “We tell your parents to meet us at Chino’s instead and I wear a pretty dress and when we come home, we can go make out on the balcony.”

“Make out?” he laughed. “Honey, I’ll be wanting to do more than that.”

“That works too,” she grinned.

“You don’t want them to come here?” he asked.

“This is a big day Jug. You deserve more than Pizza and beer and if they come here, they’ll stay too late and I’ll be too tired to make out on the balcony,” Betty said with a coy smile. 

“So, I have to wait until later to make you scream my name?” he chuckled. 

“Well, if you promise to behave at dinner, I’ll give you a kiss right now,” she offered. He agreed by pressing his mouth to hers and she let herself get lost in his kiss for a few minutes. He still was, months later, an amazing kisser and he never ceased to arouse her when his tongue would stroke and tease hers. When she was pressing against him, her hands sliding in his hair, he pulled back, resting his forehead against hers. 

“You’re making it very hard to wait until later, baby,” he said gruffly, his hand smoothing down her side.

“I know,” Betty replied, her voice a little unsteady. “I just…” She never finished her though because she just had to kiss him again. He let her have her way for a few more minutes and when he was on the verge of just taking her clothes off, he pulled away and she frowned at him. 

“You’re the one who wanted to wait till later, don’t glare at me,” he laughed.

“Don’t remind me,” Betty grumbled and he grinned as he followed her back into the bathroom to take a shower. She got dressed in the bedroom when he went out to the couch and she pulled on her long coat to cover herself so he wouldn't see.

A couple of hours later, they got to the restaurant and when Jughead moved to help take off the long coat she was wearing, he froze and swallowed. Betty bit her lip to stifle her giggle and handed it to him.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” he growled. “You tell me to behave and then you wear that?” _That_ being the little red dress that Betty had worn the night she had gone to the bar and had teased him mercilessly which in turn had gotten her laid on the kitchen counter. Since they were meeting his parents, she had tucked a little piece of black lace to hide a little of the cleavage the dress usually showed, but left just enough to make Jughead crazy. The fact that his parents would be there would make it all the more fun. “You’re a little shit, you know that?” he glared. 

“Yes, I believe you told me that once,” she giggled. 

“And just so you know, that little piece of lace you put there just makes it worse because all I want to do is grab it with my teeth and…” Betty put her hand over his mouth and flushed.

“Someone will hear,” she scolded. “You can do that later,” she added in a whisper.

“Well, you look stunning,” he said with a sigh. 

“I promise I’ll behave,” she said with a wink, trailing a hand down the front of his shirt. Jughead swore under his breath and she giggled as the waiter led them to their table. They ended up in a round booth and they slid in to wait for the others. Jughead’s hand settled on her bare leg and she shivered at the possessive squeeze he gave it. “Just think,” she whispered in his ear as she leaned close and pressed her chest against his arm. “After dinner you can take me home and out on the balcony and I’ll grab the railing and you’ll be behind me...”

“Fucking hell,” he growled under his breath, his hand on her thigh tightening. “If you don’t stop we’ll be leaving before my parents get here.”

“Jughead?” 

“Yes?” he asked with a resigned sigh.

“I love you.” His reply was to wrap his hand around the back of her neck and yank her close and cover her mouth with his. She sank against him and clutched his shirt to steady herself as her world suddenly shifted. A throat clearing and a feminine chuckle, followed by an _ewww gross_ signaled that Jughead’s family had arrived. Betty pulled away and ducked her head for a moment, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. 

“Do you two ever not make out?” Jellybean asked as she flopped into the booth and slid into the middle while FP and Gladys sat across from Jughead and Betty.

“So you two are still getting along,” FP said with a laugh and seemed almost proud of Jughead’s smug smirk.

“Always,” he said with a wink. Betty rested her hand in his lap and he grabbed it and squeezed, a clear warning to behave.

“You look lovely, Betty,” Gladys said with a smile. “That’s an amazing dress.”

“It’s Jughead’s favorite and since this is a big day for him, I figured I’d wear it,” she explained innocently as she slipped off her heel and slid her foot under the material of Jughead’s jeans, brushing her toes against his skin. She felt him stiffen and had to clear her throat to hide her laugh.

“You look hot,” Jellybean said with a grin and Betty just smiled and sipped her water. 

“So, your mother gave me the news Jughead,” FP began. “I can’t tell you how proud we are of you.”

“So proud,” Gladys parroted. “I called all my friends back in Ohio and gushed about it all afternoon. My son, author of an actual book.” The waitress came with menus and to take their drink orders and once all that was out of the way, Gladys turned to them once more. “Anyway, we’re so incredibly proud of you Jughead, so proud.”

“Thank you,” Jughead said quietly and Betty squeezed his hand. 

“So do you mind if I piggy back off your big day and tell some news of my own?” Jellybean said suddenly. 

“Please,” Jughead laughed, showing how truly uncomfortable he was with all the attention. He put his arm around Betty and pulled her into his side and they all looked at his sister.

“So, I’m sort of seeing someone,” she said cautiously. Jughead raised an eyebrow and grabbed the beer the waitress put in front of him.

“Sort of seeing someone?” he asked in confusion. “Are you or aren’t you?”

“Well, I am,” she said hurriedly.

“Well, who are you seeing sweetheart,” Gladys asked. Jellybean nervously sipped her water and took a deep breath.

“Sweetpea,” she said quietly. The stunned silence was unnerving and Betty looked at Jughead. 

“I’m going to kill him,” he growled, his face moving from shock to anger. 

“This is not happening, Jelly,” FP fumed along with him.

“Jesus Christ, can we never get rid of these god damned Serpents,” Gladys sighed, wiping a hand over her face.

“Look, I’m 20 years old and…”

“And he’s 26 and this is NOT happening,” FP repeated.

“How the hell did this happen?” Jughead asked. Betty rested her hand on his thigh and gently rubbed, trying to calm him.

“Well, we got on really well at dad’s party last year and when I went back home we spent months texting and talking and sort of doing the long distance thing and when we moved here, we just…well, we’ve been dating.” She turned to Jughead. “You and Sweetpea have been friends for years. You always tell me that he’s the only decent guy in the bunch and you’re right, he is. I really like him and he likes me and it’s really good,” she explained. Jughead sighed and sat back. 

“Jellybean he’s a Serpent.”

“So were you once and honestly, he’s just a bar owner these days. Since dad left, the guys are just sort of going off on their own,” JB said with a shrug.

“Really?” FP said in surprise. 

“Pea said it’s not the same without you leading and nobody cares anymore,” she shrugged. Jughead studied her for a while before speaking again.

“You best believe I’m going to have a talk with him,” he said firmly. Jellybean rolled her eyes and sipped her drink.

“Wouldn’t expect anything less,” she grumbled. Betty bit back a smile and gave Jughead’s thigh a squeeze and a gentle rub and she felt him relax beside her. They made small talk and ordered dinner and when it arrived it smelled and looked amazing. As they ate, Betty kept her hand on Jughead’s leg, her fingers making slow circles on his inner thigh and after a while he grabbed her hand and moved it to his knee and she smiled around a mouth full of pasta. 

“So Jughead, what’s your book about?” FP asked. 

“Well, it’s a mur….” His voice caught when Betty slid her hand back up the inside of his leg, a little closer to his crotch this time. He took a sip of water, motioning to his throat before he continued. “A murder mystery,” he finished, once again moving Betty’s hand. This time back into her lap and resting his hand on her thigh in return. It was his turn to tease and when it moved up her thigh, dangerously close to her core, she squeezed her legs together and effectively caught his fingers between them.

“That’s cool,” JB said with a smile. “Based on true events?”

“Nah,” Jughead said as he pulled his hand free. Betty smiled as she sipped her drink. “Just some good adventurous fiction.” 

“I expect a signed copy the minute it’s published,” his mother said in excitement. 

“Of course.”

“So, how are you guys doing?” Betty asked curiously. “I hope that’s not an inappropriate question but you seem happy,” she finished. 

“No, it’s fine,” Gladys said softly. “We’re doing really good. Like old times in a way.”

“That’s really gre…” Jughead began and Betty effectively stopped his words by placing her hand directly over his cock. He quickly grabbed his beer and choked a sip down. “Sorry, throat,” he said, his voice sounding a little strangled.

“Are you coming down with something?” his mother asked, concerned.

“It’s nothing that won’t be cured soon,” he all but growled out as he once again moved Betty’s hand. She was unable to hold back her giggle and quickly stuffed some food in her mouth. 

“Am I missing something?” FP asked in confusion.

“Betty’s feeling him up under the table,” Jellybean said casually and Betty promptly choked on her food. Her face burning, she quickly drank some water.

“Oh dear,” Gladys muttered and Betty glared at JB who grinned at her. Jughead managed to stifle his laughter with some food and FP just shook his head and went back to eating. The rest of the meal passed uneventful, but the damage, so to speak, had been done. Betty’s body was humming and when she did hold his hand in his lap, his semi arousal was noticeable and she shivered in anticipation of what would happen once they got home.

Betty and Jughead took a cab back to the apartment because he didn’t want to waste time walking and when they stepped into the elevator, Betty was on him before the doors were all the way closed. His back hitting the wall and her hand moving over the front of his jeans as her tongue snaked its way into his mouth.

“Did I mention how much trouble you’re in?” he growled, his hand sliding over her backside and sneaking under the bottom of her dress. They froze when the elevator slowed and came to a stop on a floor half way to their own. Betty hurriedly turned around and straightened her dress and Jughead pulled her against his front to hide his very obvious erection. The couple that entered gave them a smile and stood facing the door and Betty gripped Jughead’s hand as it slowly slid around her waist and he moved against her, pressing his hardness against her backside and she let out a small noise and the pair turned to look at her curiously. She managed a shaky smile and they turned back around and she dug her nails into the skin of his hand in warning.

Jughead’s free hand slid up the back of her thigh and under her dress, squeezing the soft skin and Betty bit her lip to keep from moaning. She pressed back against him and his mouth grazed the skin on her shoulder. The elevator stopped again and the man and woman stepped out and as the doors started closing, the woman shot Betty a knowing look and she flushed red. They hadn’t been that oblivious after all. As soon as the doors sealed she turned and Jughead lifted her against him, backing her into the wall, his mouth pressed to hers, his hand moving up her dress.

“Jug,” she breathed when his hand brushed between her legs, finding the lace wet with arousal. He moved it aside and slid his fingers along her folds, finding her hot and wet and he groaned into her mouth. “My god, we’re in an elevator,” she whimpered, moving against his hand. Jughead braced her against the wall with his hips, his free hand moving up and wrapping around the back of her neck, holding her still as he kissed her, his tongue sinking into her mouth. The elevator suddenly came to a stop and he moved back and pulled her dress down. It opened and he pulled her out and down the hall to their door. Before he unlocked it, he backed her against it, his entire body brushing against hers and kissed her again. A deep drugging kiss that had her panting into his mouth. 

“Inside,” she gasped, pulling his shirt from his jeans, her hands already on his belt. It seemed a replay of the last time she wore the dress, only sexier and more frantic, and that was saying a lot. He pulled away long enough to open the door and she backed in, pulling him along by his shirt. When she let go, he pulled it over his head and tossed it aside and she smirked at him and at the bulge at the front of his jeans. As he kicked off his shoes, she walked through the living room and he raised an eyebrow when she leaned against the balcony door, her hand coming up to pull the lace from the front of her dress, running her fingers along the cleavage she revealed.

Jughead’s hands moved to his belt and she bit her lip and smirked when he pulled it from the loops and opened the button of his jeans which caused them to drop further down and Betty’s mouth watered as her hungry gaze roamed over his torso. She opened the door and backed out onto the balcony until her back it the railing and she grasped it with both hands, waiting for him. Jughead paused in the doorway and stared at her, his eyes moving down her body slowly. Her flushed face, her heaving chest that threatened to fall out of the dress, her long sexy legs.

“Fuck, you’re hot,” he growled as he came closer. “How do you just keep getting sexier?” he asked as he came to a stop right in front of her, his body brushing up against hers. Betty said nothing as she lifted her hand to his chest and slowly brushed it down to his stomach, right into his jeans. He gripped the railing behind her and let out a groan as she wrapped her hand around him. 

“We have privacy walls on both ends of this balcony,” she murmured as she licked her tongue against his lips. “We can do pretty much whatever we want out here.” Jughead’s hand wrapped around the back of her head and his mouth came down on hers, swallowing the startled whimper at his hunger. Her hand slid into his hair while the other stroked him and he suddenly grabbed her hips and spun her around and she gasped when he pressed himself against her backside, his hands moving down her thighs and back up, taking the bottom of her dress with as they slid up and over her backside. 

“Damn, you have a great ass,” he growled as his hungry gaze raked over the curves barely covered by her flimsy lace panties. “Are you fond of these?” he asked as he ran his finger along the edge. 

“Yes,” she breathed, moving back against his hand. He slowly pulled them down her legs, squatting down to help pull her feet through them and then she felt his mouth kiss up the back of her leg, starting at the knee. She whimpered when his hand slid up the inside and his fingers found her wet and hot. Betty jumped when she felt his teeth nip at the back of her thigh and shuddered when his tongue ran over the curve of her ass as he slowly stood back up. “Oh my god,” she moaned when his fingers slid inside her. his other hand slid around her front and his fingers hooked into the low cut edge of her dress, pulling it down and letting her breast fall free. He cupped it, squeezing and rolling the nipple between his fingers and her head fell back against his shoulder. “Juggie, please,” she begged, pushing back against his fingers. “I need you inside me.”

“You’ve been a very bad girl all evening,” he murmured in her ear. “Do you think you deserve to have me inside you.”

“Yes,” she whimpered, moving with his hand as he twisted his fingers deeper.

“Beg,” he teased against her ear. Betty’s whole body was trembling and something uncoiled inside her and her hand came up and she reached behind her and slid it through his hair, tightening her fist suddenly and pulling his head to the side so she could turn and look at him. He winced and his eyes filled with such heat, her knees nearly buckled. 

“Now,” she demanded and he pulled his fingers from her, causing her to clench in protest and he fumbled to push down his jeans and boxers and then he pulled her hips back as he thrust inside her. “Yes,” she cried out and hoped her neighbours weren’t on their balcony, because despite not being able to see anything, they could probably hear her. Betty gripped the railing as he moved into her again and again, his mouth latching to the side of her neck, his tongue teasing, his teeth biting. It was fast and rough and Betty couldn’t help the moans that fell from her lips as she moved back against him.

“Fuck, you feel good,” he growled against her ear, pushing into her, hitting so deep that she could hardly breathe. 

“I’m gonna come, Jug,” she gasped, her fingers turning white as she clutched the rail, her head thrown back and her body starting to spiral and tighten. Jughead reached down in front of her, his fingers circling her clit as he pounded into her.

“Come for me,” he gasped against her ear. “Now baby.” Betty sobbed his name as she fell apart, tightening around him, her head falling down as she ground back against him. “Fuck….fuck…” he groaned as she pulled his orgasm from him, spilling deep inside her in a rush of ecstasy. He kept moving until he had nothing left to give and he had to tighten his hold on her so she wouldn’t collapse against the railing. When they finally stilled and could breathe somewhat normally, he eased out and gently helped her straighten and hugged her against him. “You’re stunning,” he whispered. “I still can’t believe I get to have you.” Betty turned and wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. 

“I love you,” she whispered. “This was very naughty and very sexy and I hope it was a great gift for your big day,” she said with a smile against his ear. Jughead lifted his hands and held her face, smiling as he gave her a few soft lingering kisses. 

“I think hearing you say you love me is an even better gift,” he murmured against her lips.

“I say that every day,” she whispered. 

“And it’s a gift I won’t ever take for granted.” Betty smiled and hugged him tight. 

“Lets take a shower and go to bed and hide under the sheets,” she suggested.

“And what are we going to do under the sheets?” he asked as he nuzzled her neck.

“Oh, much of the same,” Betty teased as she stepped back and took his hand, leading him back into the apartment. “Except much much slower.” Jughead groaned and picked her up, smiling at her giggle and carried her to the bathroom. It was a glorious night indeed.

 

_6 months later_

Jughead was sitting on the couch writing when Betty came home around 3 in the afternoon. He was surprised, as she rarely missed work or left early without him knowing about it. She looked like she had been crying and he got up immediately and walked over to her.

“Hey,” he said softly. “What happened? Are you okay?” She shook her head and started to cry. Jughead put his arms around her and hugged her close. “What happened?” he asked again.

“Mr. Wright had a heart attack today,” she said, her voice shaking. “He didn’t make it.”

“Your boss?” Jughead asked in surprise. She nodded and pressed her face in his chest. 

“He…he came by for lunch and he just fell over and we called….we….” Betty couldn’t continue and Jughead held her closer.

“Oh baby, I’m so sorry you had to go through that,” he said softly, stroking her back. She only nodded and he led her to the couch and sat down with her in his lap. She calmed down after a while and he wiped her face with his fingers and hugged her again. “So what now? He have family or anything like that? What happens with the store?”

“He only has one child, a daughter. His wife passed years ago and I have no idea what happens now. We closed the store early today obviously and I’m just waiting on what I should do,” she said after a while. 

“It’s going to be okay hon,” Jughead said softly, pressing a kiss to her forehead. 

 

The store opened again the following Monday with word from Mr. Wright’s daughter that things will continue as planned until further notice. Betty and Ginny were both nervous as they loved their job and Betty knew that even if she lost her job, she would still have restoration work, but she didn’t want to lose the beautiful store. It had become her second home and couldn’t imagine working anywhere else.

Three weeks after he passed, the store closed due to ownership change. Betty was devastated and his daughter assured her that it was quite possible the new owner would let her keep her job if they were keeping the store as is. Betty didn’t put any hope in it and went home to wait on the news. 

That Friday, as she was lounging with Jughead and contemplating her next move, there was a knock at the door.

“You expecting someone?” she asked, looking at Jughead. He shook his head and got up to answer the door. It was a courier service with a rather bulky envelope addressed to Betty and she came over and signed for it in confusion. She went to the island and opened it and pulled out the contacts.

“From the Law Offices of Morgenstern and Grant,” she read slowly on the cover page. “The Last Will and Testament of John Wright.” Her eyes widened as she looked at the document. “Why would they send me a copy of Mr. Wright’s Will?”

“Well, usually any person named in the will gets a copy,” Jughead said slowly. She just kind of stared at it and he took it and opened it and read a few lines and then started to page through it and stopped on a page with a highlighted section.”

“What does it say?” she asked.

“The property and all contents therein of Wright’s Antiques I leave to Betty Cooper, as well as the sum of the bank accounts associated with it that have not been transferred to my personal account at the time of my death,” Jughead read slowly. Betty thought her heart was going to stop as he read the words.

“What?” she gasped, not daring to believe. 

“He left you his store, Betty, and everything in it. Plus the bank account for it and whatever is in that.” She shook her head and took the papers with shaking hands and read it again and again to make sure she wasn’t seeing things. 

“I can’t….i can’t accept this,” she whispered. “Jug, that store is worth millions. We have a book in there with a price tag of 1.3 million dollars. There is a painting in the basement, in a safe, behind bullet proof glass worth 2 million.” 

“Well, he left it all to you,” he said with a smile. “It says at the bottom to contact the lawyers if you have any questions or concerns.” Betty walked over to the couch and sat down and looked through the rest of the will.

“Jesus, this man was filthy rich. I can’t even comprehend half the shit that’s in here. His daughter gets most of it, of course and she must have known about this. She said there was going to be a transfer of ownership.”

“She might not have known to whom,” Jughead said, coming to sit by her.

“I think she did because I did wonder at her smile when she told me all this. At the time I wanted to get mad because she seemed to enjoy how upset I was or something. This is very strange. Oh Jug, he left Ginny a few pieces from the store that he knew she loved and a good sum of cash. This is amazing. What a wonderful man he is.”

“Well, I guess that answers the question about what you’ll be doing from here on out,” Jughead smiled.

“This is unbelievable. I’m going to need to talk to the lawyers and his daughter. I honestly don’t feel right keeping some of this stuff. Like the painting and the book.”

“Well, that’s up to you hon. Make an appointment and sort this thing out,” he suggested, handing her the phone.

 

It did get sorted. By the month’s end, the store and all its contents had been signed over to her and she was the brand new owner of Wright’s Antiques. Betty kept that name in honor of the man who had given a young woman a shot and completely changed her life. Feeling uncomfortable with the painting in the basement and at her insistence, Betty gifted it to his daughter, feeling it belonged to the family and could be passed on to her children. The book she auctioned and all proceeds went to schools that needed help in the city. Ginny of course kept her job and things continued as normal but with two delighted women running a successful and wonderful store.

On her yearly message to her mother, Betty told her all that had transpired and Alice sent a message via the Lodge family. She was proud of her. 

It was a start.

 

_4 months later_

 

“Jug?” Betty said softly as she stirred the spaghetti sauce at the stove. Jughead was sitting on the couch, trying to finish an article he was writing and he paused to look at her.

“Yeah babe?”

“I’ve been thinking lately…” she trailed off nervously and chewed her lip as she considered her next words. Jughead put his laptop down and came over to the kitchen and leaned against the island, crossing his legs at the ankles. 

“What about?” he asked.

“I don’t know if I should say,” she admitted, a slight flush crossing her face. “Like, it might be too early and not the right time and hell, we aren’t engaged or married, not that that matters and I know it’s coming, but I’m just……” she trailed off again and sighed. He quirked an eyebrow and waited. 

“You’re just…?”

“Remember when we talked about having babies?” she asked in a rush. His eyebrows shot up and his eyes went to her stomach. “I’m not pregnant,” she quickly blurted.

“Okay, seriously, you have to quit doing that," he sighed.

“But, what if….what if I’d like to be?” she asked, chewing nervously on her lip again. Jughead just stared at her for a moment and then a smile slowly spread across his face. He moved so quickly, she let out a yell in surprise when he picked her up and turned off the stove and carried her down the hall. “What are you doing?” she asked in fits of laughter.

“Getting you pregnant,” he informed her as he walked into the bedroom and dropped her on the bed. 

“Really?” she asked, her smile damn near splitting her face. “Like you don’t want to be engaged or married or anything like that first?”

“Is there a rule somewhere about the order of things?” he asked as he came down over her.

“Usually,” she giggled when he fumbled with the button of her jeans. She noticed his hands were shaking slightly and she grabbed them and held them in her hands. He stilled and looked at her and she smiled. “You’re shaking,” she whispered, feeling a tremor go through her body.

“Sorry, I was just envisioning your belly round with my child and the beautiful children you’re going to give me,” he whispered back. Betty’s eyes filled with tears and she touched his face. 

“You want to have a baby?” she asked.

“So much,” he said. “Do you?”

“Yes,” she smiled and his answering grin made her heart race. 

“Then I need to get you pregnant,” he insisted, resuming his unbuttoning.

“Well, I’d have to stop taking the pill and let it clear my system first,” she informed him when his mouth started kissing her belly. “I’m not pregnant yet, you goof,” she giggled when he whispered ‘ _baby'_ against her skin.

“Practice. We start practice today,” he growled as he licked along her waist band. The practice session was extremely satisfying.

 

_2 months later_

“Juggie!” Betty yelled as soon as she heard the door open that evening. His shift ended early and she had been waiting in excitement for a couple of hours. She ran down the hall and he had barely gotten out of his jacket and shoes and she was in his arms, her arms and legs wrapped around her.

“Wow,” he laughed, quickly wrapping his arms around her. “You should do this every day. What a fucking fantastic way to come home. What’s got you so happy?” he asked.

“We did it, we did it, we did it!” she exclaimed happily, pressing kisses all over his face.

“What did we do?” he asked, trying to catch her mouth with his. “Sit still dammit, I want your lips.” She obliged him and gave him the dirtiest, wettest, most tongue filled kiss she’d given him in a while. “God damn,” he gasped when she finally pulled back. “Now I’m rock hard and I sure hope we get to have sex to celebrate whatever we did because now I’m horny as fuck.” 

“We’re pregnant,” she blurted, her eyes filling with happy tears as she took his hand and pressed it to her belly. Jughead went still and he stared at her in shock.

“Really?” he asked, his voice shaking a little, his grip on her suddenly gentle and soft. His eyes went to her stomach and then back to her face to make sure she was being honest.

“Really! I promise!”

“Wow,” he whispered in awe. “Really?”

“Yes,” she giggled at his shock. “We’re going to have a baby.”

“Oh my God, I love you so much,” he breathed, taking her face and kissing her with all the love and passion he could muster. He picked her up gently and carried her to the couch. She snuggled into him and pressed kisses where she could reach and he just held her, still in awe. “We’re having a baby.”

“Yes, we’re having a baby,” she whispered. “I love you Jughead.” She could feel him trembling and he hid his face in her neck and she felt his tears on her skin. When he pulled back, she smiled and wiped his cheeks and he did the same to hers.

“I feel like I should propose or something,” he said, his voice still shaking. “I need you to be my wife.”

“Today is baby day,” she smiled. “A proposal needs a day all on it’s own. I am so incredibly happy Jughead. I got a roommate and ended up finding the love of my life and now we’re having a baby. I promise when you propose, I’ll say yes. It’s going to be the most wonderful day and I know when you ask, it will beautiful and amazing and at this point it’s just to tie us all together and we’ll get there.” Jughead smiled and gave her a soft kiss. He already knew where and how he was going to do it and now, it would be even better and knowing she wasn’t making it a big deal and putting pressure on the day made it easier for him to plan it.

“I love you more than life,” he whispered against her mouth, his hand moving to caress her belly. “And I love this nugget already and I can’t wait to meet him or her.” He pulled back to look at her and brushed her hair off her face. “And I will ask you to marry you, I already have the place and I promise you, it’s coming.”

“I know,” she smiled happily, hugging him tight.

 

And the day came, with a beautiful 5 carat diamond ring bought from the sales of his second book, on top of Danube Tower on their return trip to Vienna, with a 2 year old green eyed, black haired girl between them, Jughead asked Betty to marry him. Her ‘ _yes_ ’ was sure and certain and the best thing he’d ever heard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that's it :) The end of another story. I hope you liked it and thank you once again for taking this journey with me!!

**Author's Note:**

> It's here, another fic!!! Hope you enjoy!! 
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr at lazydaizies


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